Russian space agency Roscosmos on Thursday severed ties with Germany with regard to scientific cooperation onboard the Russian side of the International Space Station (ISS).

“The State Corporation will not cooperate with Germany on joint experiments on the Russian segment of the ISS. Roscosmos will conduct them independently,” the space agency tweeted.

“The Russian space program against the backdrop of sanctions will be adjusted, the priority will be the creation of satellites in the interests of defence,” Roscosmos added.

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The announcement comes amid a strong global backlash against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, British satellite communications company OneWeb suspended launches from the Russian operated Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, from where 36 of its satellites were slated to lift off into orbit on a Russian Soyuz-2.1b rocket on March 4.

Roscosmos had earlier warned NASA that Western sanctions threatened to destroy scientific cooperation on board the ISS, as well the station’s ability to maintain orbit.

“If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States or Europe?,” Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin had said.

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“There is also the option of dropping a 500-tonne structure to India or China. Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? The ISS does not fly over Russia, so all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them?,” he had warned.

However, NASA had downplayed Rogozin’s concerns, saying, “NASA continues working with all our international partners, including the State Space Corporation Roscosmos, for the ongoing safe operations of the International Space Station. The new export control measures will continue to allow US-Russia civil space cooperation. No changes are planned to the agency’s support for ongoing in orbit and ground station operations.”

Despite NASA’s assurances, relations do appear to be deteriorating, and it remains to be seen how the ISS – which is a joint venture between NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA – is maintained sans cooperation.