Russia unveils model of proposed new space station

Russia’s space agency has unveiled for the first time a physical model of what a new Russian-built space station will look like, suggesting Moscow is serious about abandoning the International Space Station (ISS) and going it alone.

- 

Russia, in the throes of what some Kremlin hardliners believe is a historic rupture with the West sparked by sanctions imposed over what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine, is rushing to reduce its dependency on Western nations and forge ahead on its own or cooperate with countries like China and Iran.

The West, which has accused Russia of prosecuting an unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, has hit the Russian economy with sanctions designed to starve Moscow of technology, know-how and funds.