Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has warned the West that attempts to isolate Moscow will fail, citing the success of the Soviet Space Program as evidence that Russia can achieve spectacular leaps forward in tough conditions.
On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, marking 61 years since the Soviet Union’s Yuri Gagarin, went into the history books by becoming the first man in space, Mr. Putin travelled to the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s far East, 5,550 kilometres from Moscow to commemorate the history.
According to Mr. Putin as quoted by a Russian State Television, “The sanctions were total. The isolation was complete, but the Soviet Union was still first in space. We don’t intend to be isolated. It is impossible to severely isolate anyone in the modern world, especially such a vast country as Russia.” Mr. Putin toured the Space Port in Russia’s far East with Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko. “Why on Earth are we getting so worried about these sanctions?” Mr. Lukashenko asked, according to Russian State Television.
Mr. Lukashenko, who has a track record of sometimes saying things that appear to jar with his closest-ally’s stated positions on a range of issues, has insisted that Belarus must be involved in negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. He has said that Belarus has been unfairly labelled “an accomplice of the aggressor”.
Moscow’s Bragging-right
Russia’s Cold War space successes, such as Gagarin’s flight and the 1957 launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite launched from Earth, have a particular pertinence for Russia: both events which shocked the United States. The launch of Sputnik 1 prompted the United States to create NASA in a bid to catch up with Moscow.
Invasion’s goals ‘absolutely clear and noble’
Mr. Putin disclosed that the “special military operation” in Ukraine is necessary because the United States is using Ukraine to threaten Russia, including the NATO Military Alliance, adding that Moscow needs to defend Russian-speaking people in Ukraine from persecution. He said that he has no doubt Russia will achieve all of its objectives in Ukraine, over a conflict he cast as both inevitable and essential to defend Russia in the long term.
“Its goals are absolutely clear and noble. It’s clear that we didn’t have a choice. It was the right decision.”
Russian President – Vladimir Putin
Lunar Probe Launch to Proceed
During the visit, Mr. Putin revealed that Russia will continue with its plans to launch a lunar probe called Luna-25, to the moon in the third quarter of this year (2022), and will as well, deepen its corporation with Belarus on space infrastructure and technology.
Mr. Putin averred Russia would develop a new-generation transport spaceship and technologies for nuclear energy in space. In addition, Russia would work with Belarus on infrastructure that will guarantee the two countries independent access to space, Mr. Putin pointed out, revealing that Russia’s Space Agency, Roskosmos, should train a Belarusian for flight on a Russian spacecraft.
Lukashenko Downplays Sanctions
So far, Ukrainian Forces continue to mount stiff resistance against Russian Forces, and the West has also hit Russia with sanctions in an effort to force them to withdraw from the ongoing invasion, which has killed thousands and displaced millions.
According to Russia’s former Finance Minister, Alexei Kudrin, on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, Russia’s economy will contract by more than 10 per cent in 2022, which will be the biggest fall in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the years which followed the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union.
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