On the 14th of April, Russian president Vladimir Putin marked a special occasion: Russia’s first consensual astronauts.
Dmitry Volkov and Yaketrina Kushnareva have simultaneously become Russia’s first consensual astronauts: the first two who have gone to space and back and not against their will. After a long and laborious career, the two are the first to have signed up for a mission and not been assigned (compulsory).
The long history of non-consensual (i.e. mandatory) space missions in the USSR and Russia, have made headlines around the world, starting with Yuri Gagarin’s first space flight in 1961. Yet, the trust in Soviet and Russian technology has been marred by western propaganda, deeming it ‘unsafe’ for space travel. Hence, a little nudge was needed in the past. Well, not anymore! Volkov and Kushnareva have marked a new milestone, a new era of Russia’s spacecraft technology.
Having a chat with the president, as well as Belarusian president Aliaksandr Lukashenka was the best possible way to mark this incredible achievement.
Putin Congratulates Russia’s First Consensual Astronauts
