Roscosmos chief slams US for honoring 'anti-corruption activist' Boris Nemtsov

Russian space agency Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin has launched an offensive against the US on various platforms after the latter imposed economic sanctions for invading Ukraine and threatened to degrade Russia’s space programs. Ever since US President Joe Biden’s announcement, Rogozin has been vocal in his criticism of the sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union. In his latest attack, the Roscosmos chief confronted the US state department on Twitter for honouring the anti-corruption activist and former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov.

The Russian-language American state department was remembering Nemtsov as he was against the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and was assassinated for his stance. "We honour the memory of former Russian Deputy Prime Minister and anti-corruption activist Boris Nemtsov, who was assassinated seven years ago shortly after condemning Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea. May his memory inspire us to stand up for what is right", the US State Department wrote in a tweet. 

In response, Rogozin gave out a strong and harsh reply saying that these "anti-corruption activists" plundered Russia in the 90s. Moreover, he even called the US-led handle's tweet "sloppy and florid Russian-written".

"Announce the list of all your "anti-corruption activists" of the 90s who plundered our country. To paraphrase your sloppy and florid Russian-written tweet, let me add: let the memory of them inspire us to stand up for what is right!", Rogozin responded on Twitter. 

Roscosmos suspends NASA's participation in Venus-bound mission

Earlier on February 27, Roscosmos had announced that it is suspending the participation of NASA from the joint Venera-D project, which was a joint mission to Venus. 

"Under the circumstances of new and preservation of the earlier implemented sanctions, I find it inappropriate for the US to further participate in the Russian project of development and creation of the Venera-D interplanetary station", Rogozin was quoted saying by Sputnik News.

Russia even went on to end its cooperation with its European partners in future launches and has ordered Roscosmos employees to evacuate the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana owned by the European Space Agency. 

(Image: AP)