MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia defended its role in building the International Space Station Wednesday after a U.S. syndicated columnist called on Washington to freeze Moscow out of the $60 billion project.

Yuri Koptev, head of Russia's Space Agency, told a news conference that despite delays, Moscow was fulfilling its obligations and its participation was saving U.S. taxpayers' money.

Columnist Charles Krauthammer, in an article in The Washington Post April 7, called on the United States to dump Russia as a contractor, saying delays on its part of the craft had already cost Washington about $3 billion and the module it had built was in very poor repair.

Koptev said there was only 5 percent truth in the article.

He brushed aside accusations that the station's Zarya module, which Russia built and launched in 1998, was falling apart and required an extra U.S. shuttle flight to repair it.

Koptev was referring to the section known in English as the control or propulsion module. The Zvezda living quarters module is expected to be launched in July after long delays.

Koptev said there was no urgency in sending a cosmonaut aboard a U.S. shuttle. Moscow had decided to do it now to ensure that the maintenance did not overlap with the July launch of the Zvezda module.

He conceded some blocs were malfunctioning but said the problems were not grave.

Speaking about Russia's aging Mir station, which received a new crew on April 6 after being unmanned for eight months, Koptev said it could safely orbit Earth for two more years if the Space Agency made money available.

The United States wants Moscow to give up Mir, suspecting it prevents the Russians from concentrating their resources on the International Space Station.

Koptev said his agency recently received an additional $10 million in commercial funds, which would allow it to keep Mir orbiting until mid-August. If financing stopped then, the station would be buried in the Pacific Ocean in October.

Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin has promised to secure financing for Mir into 2001, but Koptev said private money was keeping Mir in space. He said U.S. officials had nothing against Moscow keeping the station in orbit as long as it did not soak up money allocated to the International Space Station.