Russia may withdraw from the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024. Roscosmos director Yuri Borisov said the agency will focus on building its own space station rather than dealing with the ISS, the Associated Press reported. The country made this statement amid heightened tensions with the West after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year.
Russia and its cosmonauts will remain on the ISS for at least another two and a half years to fulfill their obligations to their partners. NASA and Roscosmos signed an agreement earlier this month to change seats on flights to the ISS starting in September.
For now, NASA astronauts will continue to participate in Soyuz flights, while Russian cosmonauts will reach the ISS with SpaceX Crew Dragon flights. But judging by the explanation, this situation may disappear completely by the end of 2024. Because it seems that Russian cosmonauts will no longer have anything to do with the ISS.