Despite threats from Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei said Tuesday that the relationship between US astronauts and Russian cosmonauts remained positive while onboard the International Space Station (ISS).
US astronaut Mark Vande Hei described what it was like in the ISS with Russian cosmonauts amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, just days after returning from a record-setting 355 days in space.
"Speaking specifically about my relationship with my Russian crewmates, they were, are and will continue to be very dear friends of mine," Vande Hei said per ABC7 report.
NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei rests in a chair after landing in a remote area outside the town of Dzhezkazgan (Zhezkazgan), Kazakhstan, on February 28, 2018.
NASA Astronaut Mark Vande Hei Unbothered Over Roscosmos' Threat to Leave American Astronaut in ISS
Because of mounting geopolitical tensions fueled by Russian space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin, who made several fiery social media posts directed at the United States, Mark Vande Hei's return from the ISS was highly anticipated and drew unprecedented attention.
In a CTV News report, Vande Hei said that he was unconcerned about Rogozin's social media posts suggesting that Russia, which was in charge of bringing the American astronaut home, might abandon him on the International Space Station.
According to the American astronaut, his wife informed him about the tweets. However, he knew that those tweets were never meant to be taken seriously. He also thought the tweets were directed at a "different audience" than himself.
Despite knowing the situation, Vande Hei said he did not devote much emotional energy to what Rogozin said. He went on to say that he just shrugged off the tweets and moved on.
Initially, a strange social media post by Russian state news studio RIA Novosti sparked questions about Russia's cooperation with Vande Hei. On Twitter, the news organization shared a heavily edited video that appeared to show Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station abandoning Vande Hei in space.
Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, later posted the video to his Telegram channel, saying that the new studio jokingly demonstrated the possibility of Russia withdrawing from the ISS project.
Rogozin has a history of using social media to send combative and questionable messages. He recently got into an argument with former astronaut Scott Kelly after criticizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Rogozin's previous threats for leaving the International Space Station.
No Political Statements From Cosmonauts
According to a NASA astronaut, who was aboard the station at the time to meet them, three Russian astronauts did not make any political statements when they joined the International Space Station in mid-March wearing yellow flight suits with blue accents, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
"I think the folks that wore them had no idea that people would perceive that as having anything to do with Ukraine," Mark Vande Hei said, per The New York Times. "I think they were kind of blindsided by it."
People on the radio, according to Vande Hei, did discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He also stated that he did not avoid discussing the subject with his crewmates. While the astronauts did not have extended conversations, Vande Hei said he would inquire about his fellow cosmonauts' feelings and occasionally ask probing questions.
The astronaut also expressed his confidence in his Russian colleagues. According to Vande Hei, they were always there for each other. He also stated that he had no reservations about continuing to work with them. He also praised his fellow astronauts on the International Space Station for being excellent professionals, technical experts, and lovely people.
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