The Uniform Worn by Russian Cosmonauts Is Not Related to Ukraine
The Claim
Three Russian cosmonauts wore yellow suits with blue details to the International Space Station to show their support for Ukraine.
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A screenshot circulating on social media and news websites shows three Russian cosmonauts entering the Space Station wearing yellow suits with blue details in solidarity with Ukraine. The claim was shared by thousands of people, including verified users and media outlets like The Guardian and The Times.
Misbar’s Analysis
The Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. According to credible sources such as Rosmocos, the Russian State Space Corporation, the color choice was coincidental. The mission commander, Oleg Artemyev, stated that they had accumulated a large amount of yellow fabric and decided they needed to use it. He also mentioned that the suits were made six months in advance in preparation for the mission. The three cosmonauts chose the colors of their alma mater, which is the emblem of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, from which all three cosmonauts graduated. The emblem is shown below.
Artemyev ended by saying that "color is just color. It has nothing to do with Ukraine."
The three Russian cosmonauts are set to begin a six-month science mission on the International Space Station.
Based on the findings, the Misbar team confirms that the claim is misleading because the color selection is coincidental, as the suits were prepared long before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
