Russian Moonbase by 2015?

This Space Review article by James Olberg takes the starch out of this rather startling announcment:

"At a seminar on space research at Moscow’s Bauman State Technological University on January 25, a leading Russian space official proclaimed that a moon base could solve the world’s energy crisis by mining the isotope helium-3, potentially a valuable fuel for nuclear fusion power plants. “We are planning to build a permanent base on the moon by 2015 and by 2020 we can begin the industrial-scale delivery… of the rare isotope helium-3,” Nikolay Sevastianov announced."

...An Associated Press story prudently pointed out that “Sevastianov’s statement appeared to be part of Energia’s publicity campaign aimed at attracting government funding for the development of a next-generation spacecraft.”