MOSCOW, (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Kislyakov)

The Russian satellite navigation system, which, as the name suggests, monitors ship and air traffic, is itself in need of effective state monitoring. It is high time top national leaders focused on the solution to two high-priority challenges: prompt efforts to launch the required number of navigation satellites, and the creation of favorable conditions for their broad commercial use in order to make the system financially independent.

The Soviet Union, which managed to implement the Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) program by the early 1990s, nonetheless fell behind the United States by a decade in this sphere. This program, however, gave Russia an opportunity to create a full-fledged satellite navigation system, a vital prerequisite for adequate socio-economic, military and political development.

GLONASS, which fully meets the requirements of the national military and space programs, provides navigational support for ships and aircraft en route and during

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