Russia has threatened not to cooperate with other countries on the International Space Station (ISS) unless sanctions imposed on the country over the occupation of Ukraine are lifted. Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, made the announcement on Twitter.
He added that restoration of normal relations between the countries in ISS and other projects would be possible only if illegal sanctions were lifted. Rogosin also stated that the position of our partners is clear and that they will not lift the embargo.
The goal of the embargo is to destroy the Russian economy, bring the people to their knees in despair and starvation. He added that Roscosmos would soon announce when Russia would end its partnership with the space station.
Rogosin tweeted that he had written to NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency requesting that the sanctions be lifted. He also tweeted that he had written to NASA’s Senator (Bill) Nelson, European Space Agency chief Joseph Ashbacher, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) chief Lisa Campbell to lift the embargo.
NASA said last week that Russia was moving to extend cooperation with the ISS until 2030. The US space agency and Russia’s State Space Corporation have been two major partners in the space station for the past three decades. NASA says the two organizations have agreed to work together on the space station until 2024, but Russia has not yet officially agreed.
English Summary: Russia threatens to suspend ISS cooperation if sanctions not lifted