Russia ending work on International Space Station in response to sanctions

Russia will pull out of the International Space Station (ISS) in response to international sanctions meant to punish the country for its invasion of Ukraine, state media outlets Tass and RIA Novosti reported.

“The decision has been taken already, we’re not obliged to talk about it publicly,” said general director Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, according to Bloomberg, citing state media.

“I can say this only — in accordance with our obligations, we’ll inform our partners about the end of our work on the ISS with a year’s notice,” he added.

Rogozin previously threatened to withdraw from the ISS in February after President Biden announced that the U.S. would sanction major Russian banks and impose export controls on Russia to curtail high-tech imports.

“If you block cooperation with us, who will save the International Space Station (ISS) from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States or…Europe?” he tweeted at the time.

In March, however, NASA administrator Bill Nelson said Russia was committed to the ISS, despite Rogozin’s threats.

“That’s just Dmitry Rogozin. He spouts off every now and then. But at the end of the day, he’s worked with us,” Nelson said at the time.

The Hill has reached out to NASA for comment on Rogozin’s latest remarks.