The Russian space agency Roscosmos has again threatened to stop cooperation with Western countries in managing the International Space Station (ISS).
In a tweet, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said Russia would withdraw from the ISS if partner countries such as the United States, Japan, Canada and the European Union did not lift sanctions related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The purpose of these sanctions is to kill the Russian economy, plunge our people into despair and hunger and bring our country to its knees," Rogozin said in a translated tweet.
"I believe that the restoration of normal relations between partners on the International Space Station and other joint projects is possible only with the complete and unconditional lifting of illegal sanctions."
Rogozin apparently also submitted a similar complaint to the ISS partner countries through an official letter on March 14. He uploaded several replies from partner countries to the letter.
One of them is a reply letter from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson dated March 30, 2022.
"The United States continues to support international government space cooperation, particularly activities related to the operation of the ISS with Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan," Nelson said in his letter.
"New and existing US export control measures continue to enable cooperation between the US and Russia to ensure the safe and sustainable operation of the ISS."
Rogozin's threat does not mean the fate of the ISS is in danger. He has made similar threats several times but never came true.
For example, on February 24 when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Rogozin said the economic sanctions imposed by the US would destroy cooperation on the ISS and even make the ISS fall to Earth without Russian assistance.
But operations on the ISS continue as usual. On March 30, NASA astronaut Mike Vande Hei returned to Earth aboard the Russian Soyuz capsule with two other cosmonauts. He managed to land safely despite the strained relations between Russia and the US.