Ukraine: Russian space chief suggests ISS could crash into US or Europe as a result of sanctions

The head of Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, has suggested that the International Space Station (ISS) could fall out of orbit and crash into the United States or Europe as a result of sanctions on Russia.

The comments came following US president Joe Biden’s announcement of new sanctions that “will degrade their [Russia’s] aerospace industry, including their space programme”.

The announcement came following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"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?" Dmitry Rogozin, Director General of Roscosmos, said in response on Twitter.

He pointed out that the station’s orbit and location in space are controlled by Russian-made engines.

"There is also the possibility of a 500-tonne structure falling on India and China. Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? The ISS does not fly over Russia, therefore all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them?"

САНКЦИИ АЛЬЦ-ГЕЙМЕРАБайден заявил, что новые санкции коснутся российской космической программы. Ок. Остается выяснить детали:1. Вы хотите перекрыть нам доступ к радиационностойкой микроэлектронике космического назначения? Так вы это уже сделали вполне официально в 2014 году.

"Though dramatic, this is likely an idle threat due to both political consequences and the practical difficulty of getting Russian cosmonauts off the ISS safely," said Dr. Wendy Whitman Cobb, a Professor of Strategy and Security Studies at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies .

"But I am concerned about how the invasion will affect the remaining years of the space station".

Four NASA astronauts, two Russian cosmonauts and one European astronaut are currently