Russia Quitting the ISS as Kremlin Isolationism Intensifies
It has become rather clear of late that Russia is on their own unique path on the world’s stage, and their latest international posturing shows just how isolated the Kremlin is willing to become.
Vladimir Putin has long been under the impression that he can just do whatever he wants. If anyone would like to challenge him, he’d be happy to wave his nuclear arsenal in their face and tell them to go kick rocks. His invasion of Ukraine, (and the previous annexation of Crimea), prove this all too well.
But now Putin is retreating from at least one international frontier: Space.
Russia has decided to quit the International Space Station “after 2024”, the newly-appointed chief of Moscow’s space agency told President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
The announcement comes as tensions rage between the Kremlin and the West over Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine and several rounds of unprecedented sanctions against Russia.
Russia and the United States have worked side by side on the ISS, which has been in orbit since 1998.
“Of course, we will fulfil all our obligations to our partners, but the decision to leave this station after 2024 has been made,” Yury Borisov, who was appointed Roscosmos chief in mid-July, told Putin.
Then came another announcement of sorts.
“I think that by this time we will start putting together a Russian orbital station,” Borisov added, calling it the space programme’s main “priority”.
“Good,” Putin replied in comments released by the Kremlin.
Vladimir Putin has long fancied Russia as some sort of international super power, and this particular move could be seen as a step in the direction of the solitary glory that other such nations already possess.
