The head of Russia's space agency used strong language to criticize U.S. State Department members for failing to mention Yuri Gagarin in a post marking 60 years since his historic spaceflight.
On Monday, Russia led by President Vladimir Putin marked the 60th anniversary of the legendary flight that made Gagarin the first human in orbit.
The U.S. State Department issued a Facebook post commemorating 60 years since the flight as well as "technological progress and international cooperation, which are facilitated by space exploration."
The short post in Russian did not mention Gagarin, who gave the Soviet Union a major victory in the Cold War-era space race against the United States.
"A**holes. Superpowers do not behave that way," Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin wrote in response on Twitter late Monday.
A brash and brazen former diplomat, Rogozin is known for provocative tweets and boisterous claims.
In 2014, Rogozin, then a deputy prime minister in charge of space, responded to Western sanctions on Russia with a tweet suggesting the United States could send its astronauts to space "using a trampoline."
Russia at the time was the only country capable of delivering crews to the International Space Station (ISS).
"The trampoline is working," U.S. billionaire Elon Musk quipped in 2020 after his company SpaceX successfully launched a crew to the ISS.
Gagarin's flight on April 12, 1961 lasted 108 minutes, the time it took to complete one loop around the Earth.
Twenty-three days later, Alan Shepard became the first American in space. His flight on Freedom 7 on May 5, 1961 was suborbital.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
