, Columnist
Russia Just Became the World’s First Former Space Power
The Ukraine war cut off European partnerships that the Russian space agency needs to stay competitive in commercial exploration.
Remember Yuri Gagarin? Russians do.
Photographer: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The Soviet Union was the original space superpower. For decades it and then Russia led the world in key technologies for operating beyond the Earth.
Now an invasion of Ukraine intended to reassert Russian relevance on the world stage has had the opposite effect in space. By destroying collaborations with Europe, Russia has transformed itself into world's first former space power.