(grandson of the chief designer of Soviet space flight, Sergey P. Korolev)

#stopthewar
The war started a few days ago, and we have no moral right to remain silent in such a difficult time. People die, millions of people suffer, the war won't spare anyone.

There is no excuse for the war. No matter what you call it. Attacking a neighboring fraternal nation has absolutely no excuse.

Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, the famous designer of spacecraft, our grandfather, was born in Zhytomyr. He spent his childhood in Nizhyn. He went to school in Odesa. His first college years were at Kyiv Polytechnic University. He continued his education at Bauman Moscow State Technical University. He worked in Moscow closely collaborated with Ukraine.

Oleg Antonov (AN aircraft manufacturer) was his close friend since his young years. He was a friend of our family.

These cities and names are now on the news daily with the most tragic events possible. There have always been and always will be both Ukrainians and Russians among Granddad's and our closest friends and relatives.
We believe that what is happening now is immoral and blasphemous.

It is deeply saddening that the long-awaited launch of a piloted spaceship commemorating Sergei Korolev's 115th anniversary is shadowed by a monstrous, horrific, and unjust chapter of history.

Those who try to solve their economic issues by attacking their neighbor are immoral. Those who give orders to shoot at people are immoral.

Those who order to and those who are shelling cities and residential areas are war criminals.

Trying to solve old personal resentment with missiles, bombs, howitzers, cannons, and rifles is a crime and a sign of a completely degraded personality.

This senseless, monstrous fratricidal war must be stopped immediately.

Peace to everyone.
Sergei Korolev's family

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Caj7MFsMApe/?utm_medium=copy_link

multilanguage article:
www.spaceeducation.de

PS: It is a special honor for me to be able to publish this open letter in English here. The word of a Korolev carries weight in Russia, with almost all citizens, cosmonauts, scientists and worldwide. It should show that not all Russians think like Putin and that these are 2 things that have to be separated. This letter is not without danger in Russia, but the author's grandfather was also imprisoned under Stalin in the Gulag under the most difficult human conditions.
I am forwarding this letter in multiple languages from Russia to the world, to NASA, the US Congress, the White House, our government, the EU and the UN. The mayor of Leipzig also receives it with the request to forward it to Leipzigs partner city Kyiv.

Ralf Heckel,
International Space Education Institute/
Jesco von Puttkamer Society