Food sanctions against US raise difficulties in supplying ISS crew

The embargo on supplies of US food to Russia causes problems in the supply of the crew of the International Space Station (ISS), says a quarterly report by the Energia rocket and space corporation posted on the agency’s website.

"The list of goods prohibited for import includes foodstuffs that are part of the parcels for the crew and food containers delivered from the United States and intended for delivery to the ISS by Russian spacecraft," the document says.

The imposition of the sanctions affects the fulfillment of the corporation’s contractual obligations to supply food to the ISS crew, it adds.

Russia announced a one-year ban on importing agricultural products from the United States and several other countries last August.

According to media reports, In January 2015 US-made foodstuffs intended for delivery to Russians aboard the ISS stalled in Russian customs. They fell within the restrictions imposed by Russia. There were no products for the US and European astronauts in this batch, Director of NASA’s Human Space Flight Programs in Russia Sean Fuller said back then. He didn’t specify what products had been ordered by Russian cosmonauts.