Roscosmos unveils model of new space station after announcing departure from International Space Station

Suggesting Moscow is serious about abandoning the International Space Station (ISS), Roscosmos unveiled for the first time a physical model of what a planned new Russian-built space station will look like.

Rushing to reduce its dependency on Western nations, Russia is forging ahead on its own or cooperating with countries like China and Iran.

In a military-industrial exhibition outside Moscow, Roscosmos presented a model dubbed "ROSS" by Russian state media.

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According to Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov, the new space station would be launched in two phases. While the first phase would see a four-module space station start operating, the second phase would include two modules and a service platform.

Russia is working to develop its own orbital station and will quit the ISS after 2024, Borisov added.

Under the partnership led by the US and Russia, the ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2000.

Saying it has not yet received official confirmation of Russia's planned withdrawal, NASA said it understood that Moscow would continue to participate until 2028.

Highlighting that the new station would afford Russian cosmonauts a much wider view of the Earth, the Russian space agency said it would be more beneficial for monitoring purposes than they enjoy in their current segment.

Accusing Russia of prosecuting an unprovoked imperial-style war of aggression against Ukraine, the West hit the Russian economy with sanctions designed to starve Moscow of technology and funds.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin called his attack on Ukraine a "special military operation" to denazify its neighbour.

(With inputs from agencies)

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