Director General of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said that he would order the cosmonauts to stop working with the European manipulator ERA, which is installed on the Russian Nauka module of the International Space Station.

“I, in turn, am issuing orders to our crew at the International Space Station to stop operating the European ERA robotic arm,” the social media statement said.

Rogozin added sarcastically: “Fleiter Schbacher (meaning ESA head Josef Schbacher) himself into space with his boss Borrell, and make it the least useful thing in their lives.”

Rogozin linked this decision to the termination of cooperation in the Exo Mars mission of the European Space Agency, and continued: “What kind of Mars can we talk about with the Europeans, and what kind of Venus with the Americans, if their governments are trying to kill as many Russians and Ukrainians as possible, and provide the military council in Kyiv with lethal weapons?, Shbacher announced the termination of cooperation with Roskosmos in the Exo Mars mission, did the head of the European Space Agency, thousands of scientists and engineers in Europe and Russia, who were crossed out by his decision? Responding to the sabotage of a joint Martian mission? No, he is the same irresponsible bureaucrat as he is in the European Commission, are you ready to respond with humanity?

“Roskosmos will do everything possible to return the Kazachuk rover from Italy,” Rogozin said.