In particular, he visited the workshop where the Proton and Angara boosters and modules for the International Space Station are assembled. The Khrunichev Centre is Russia's only enterprise that produces upper stage boosters.

The Prime Minister was also shown a mockup of the Mir space station.

Vladimir Nesterov, the company's director general, told Mr Putin about the Centre's new designs, and its financial and economic situation, which has become difficult due to the global economic crisis.

After that, Mr Putin talked with workers at the enterprise and assured them that the space sector, in particular the Khrunichev Centre, would receive financing despite the global economic downturn.

One of the employees asked Prime Minister Vladimir Putin how the Government intends to adjust pensions for inflation. Mr Putin replied that the main goal of the pension reform in Russia is to increase the earnings replacement rate, that is, the ratio between one's pension and former earnings. "This is the gist of the reform we have launched but we cannot do this today or tomorrow," he said.

Mr Putin also mentioned that the Government is encouraging voluntary investment into the pension's funded component. "We are the world's only country that adds a rouble per rouble invested by a citizen," he explained.