Russia will considerably beef up its space forces by 2030 to counter possible threats, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Friday.

"Early warning satellites, electronic reconnaissance, communications, warfare command of a new generation will be developed," Rogozin told a conference devoted to Russian space activities.

The official mentioned two possible space-originated threats to Russia -- one from strategic weapons, the other from the possible placement of weapons in space.

"Russia is categorically against it (militarization of space). But if any country allows itself to violate the tradition of space as a zone of cooperation, Russia will find its answer," Rogozin said, adding that answer would be "asymmetrical" and Russia would not deploy arms in space itself.

The conference, held in the capital of Far Eastern Amur region, Blagoveshchensk, was attended by the President Vladimir Putin.

Putin said a ministry for space exploration could be established and the new cosmodrome Vostochny would become the model space center.

"From here, the inter-planetary vehicles will be launched, modules of orbital stations, devices to explore the Moon, Mars and other planets," Putin said.

Amur region is home to the Vostochny space center, which is expected to be partially operational in 2015 and fully operational in 2020.