Russian cosmonauts on board the ISS held a flag symbolizing pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and congratulated Moscow's forces on capturing the region of Luhansk, the space agency in Moscow said Monday.
Roscosmos posted a photograph of cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveyev and Sergei Korsakov holding the flag of the self-proclaimed separatist Luhansk People's Republic in space.
"We celebrate on earth and in space," the space agency said on Telegram.
Russia on Sunday proclaimed it now controls the entire Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine after capturing the key city of Lysychansk following weeks of bloody battles.
Roscosmos said the cosmonauts "join in on the congratulations" to the head of the separatist state, Leonid Pasechnik.
The Russian space agency has been hit by Western sanctions since President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February.
The ISS, a collaboration among the U.S., Canada, Japan, the European Space Agency and Russia, is split into two sections: the U.S. Orbital Segment and the Russian Orbital Segment.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
