Russia-Ukraine War: Moscow's Space Chief Threatens To Crash ISS Into US If Sanctions Proceed

As tensions escalate across the United States and Europe over the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow's space chief has made an eyebrow-raising threat against Washington. In a series of tweets, Dmitry Rogozin has said he could stop maintaining the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS), and allow it to crash into the U.S.

The chief of the Russian space corporation, Roscosmos, said the U.S. will face the consequences if they continued with the sanctions against Moscow. The comments came amid new announcements of sanctions on the Russian economy by the U.S. and NATO in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.

"If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States or Europe?" tweeted Rogozin in Russian. "There is also the option of dropping a 500-ton structure on India or China. Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? The ISS does not fly over Russia, so all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them?"

Four NASA astronauts, two Russian cosmonauts and one European astronaut are currently living and working on board the orbiting outpost.

A NASA spokesperson told CNN it "continues working with all our international partners, including the State Space Corporation Roscosmos, for the ongoing safe operations of the International Space Station."

"The new export control measures will continue to allow U.S.-Russia civil space cooperation. No changes are planned to the agency's support for ongoing in orbit and ground station operations. The new export control measures will continue to allow U.S.-Russia civil space cooperation," the spokesperson continued.

More than 130 soldiers in Ukraine have been killed since Russian troops began invading the country early Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The assault on Ukraine began in the early hours of Thursday, just moments after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”

Following the invasion, U.S. President Joe Biden announced additional sanctions on Russian entities and individuals.

“Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences,” Biden said during a televised address to the nation from the East Room of the White House on Thursday afternoon.

“Today, I’m authorizing additional strong sanctions and new limitations on what can be exported to Russia,” he said.

Putin also warned anyone who tried to interfere with Russia’s mission “must know that Russia’s answer will be immediate, and will lead to such consequences as you never experienced in your history.”