--- title: "NASA Furious at Russia’s Ukraine Stunt on Space Station" description: "NASA has officially decried the startling act of anti-Ukraine propaganda by Russia that took place onboard the ISS earlier this week." date: "2022-07-08" modified: "2022-07-08" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-furious-russia-ukraine-space-station" categories: - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "iss" - "NASA" - "the digest" - "ukraine" --- # NASA Furious at Russia’s Ukraine Stunt on Space Station ![NASA has officially decried the startling act of anti-Ukraine propaganda by Russia that took place onboard the ISS earlier this week.]() *\Image: Roscosmos/Futurism\* ## Rising Tensions NASA has officially decried Russia for [spreading]()[ anti-Ukraine propaganda]() on board the ISS earlier this week. On Monday, the Russian space agency [took to Telegram]() to post images of ISS cosmonauts holding the flags of the Luhansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic — two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine that [only Russia and Syria]() recognize as independent territories — claiming that the Russian capture of the territories was a "liberation day to celebrate both on Earth and in space." While NASA administrator Bill Nelson [was quick to respond](), claiming that there was no need for the US to further escalate the situation, the agency has seemingly had a change of heart since then. NASA decided to condemn the act [in a fiery Thursday statement](), declaring that it "strongly rebukes using the International Space Station for political purposes to support \[the\] war against Ukraine, which is fundamentally inconsistent with the station's primary function among the 15 international participating countries to advance science and develop technology for peaceful purposes." ## End of an Era? Until this week, the off-world relationship between the two countries [had remained civil]() overall, in spite of the war currently waging on Ukrainian soil. Earlier this year, NASA associate administrator for space operation Kathy Leuders said that the space agencies and their respective spacefarers were "still working together," as quoted by [*The Washington Post*](). "Obviously, we understand the global situation and where it is, but as a joint team, these teams are operating together." The astronauts and cosmonauts themselves have gone to great lengths to debunk claims of any [Ukraine-related ill will]() amongst one another. "About my relationship with my Russian crewmates," NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, [told the press]() back in April after returning to Earth by way of Russian spacecraft. "They were, are and will continue to be very dear friends of mine." Honestly, this whole situation is pretty heartbreaking. The ISS has served as a powerful symbol of peace and cooperation for decades. Politicizing the orbital outpost during a divisive, violent war serves as a highly unfortunate departure from its intended purposes. **READ MORE:** [*NASA issues rebuke to Russia for using space station as war propaganda*]() \[*The Washington Post*\] **More on ISS Propaganda:** [*Cosmonauts Spread Anti-Ukraine Propaganda on Space Station* ]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()