The pioneers were warmly received by their American and German colleagues
Russian cosmonauts have boarded the International Space Station in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, in what appears to be an expression of their opposition to the invasion.
The three men were the first to reach the chariot, since Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
They were warmly received by their fellow Germans, Americans and other Russians.
The International Space Station is a joint project of Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan and several European countries.
The project has been under joint Russian-American leadership for two decades, despite fluctuating relations and tension between the two superpowers.
Russian astronauts Denis Matveyev, Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Morsakov arrived at the International Space Station, following a three-hour flight, from a Russian-owned facility in Kazakhstan.
After that, a voice from the Russian mission was heard saying: “Congratulations on the successful docking.”
Hours later, the little gates opened, and the three astronauts swam to the station, one following the other, wearing bright yellow spacesuits with blue stripes.
The usual Russian uniform is blue, and was worn by at least one of the astronauts before takeoff.
The moment was broadcast live by NASA and the Russian agency Roscosmos.
“It’s our turn to choose the color,” Artemyev said when asked regarding the outfit.
“We collected a lot of yellow material, so we need yellow, so we wore that color,” he joked.
Since Ukraine was invaded by Russia, people around the world have been raising the color of its flag to express their solidarity and support for the country.
The three Russian cosmonauts embark on a scientific mission to the International Station that will take more than six months.
The three astronauts are offered to the station in lieu of three other members who will return to Earth on March 30.
