VIENNA – Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Bakanov officially opened an exhibition in Vienna featuring Earth remote sensing images dedicated to the 80th anniversary of victory in World War II.
The exhibition, titled «Remembering History through Earth Remote Sensing Images,» is hosted in the rotunda of the Vienna International Centre, which houses the UN headquarters in Vienna.
During the opening ceremony, Bakanov remarked:
«Who could have imagined that here, in the center of Europe, in Vienna, at the UN Committee (on Space) platform, we could open such a stunning exhibition in mid-2025? It consists of photographs of key battle locations and the capitals of countries that participated in the victory over fascism.»
He recalled that the Soviet Union lost 27 million people during the war. Bakanov also pointed out the significant losses suffered by China and the USA.
The head of Roscosmos expressed gratitude to colleagues from the state corporation, staff of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Russian Ambassador to Austria, Dmitry Lyubinsky, for their involvement in organizing the exhibition.
Exhibition of Earth remote sensing images dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II in Vienna
Sergei Belousko, Special Coordinator of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes, conveyed thanks on behalf of the Foreign Minister to Roscosmos and the UN Office for organizing the exhibition.
«The task of preserving in the memory of generations undistorted knowledge about the events and consequences of the most destructive, bloody, and unprecedented war in scale must remain an undeniable imperative for all of us. Despite the tremendous price the Soviet Union paid for victory, the country managed to launch its space program just a few years later, which opened the path to the stars for all humanity,» Belousko stated.
He noted that Russian cosmonautics has undergone many stages of evolution over time, allowing Russians today to be proud of unique achievements in space exploration and to continue supporting socio-economic development and strengthening international cooperation with all interested countries.
Exhibition of Earth remote sensing images dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II in Vienna
Andrei Dapkyuns, Ambassador of Belarus to Austria and Permanent Representative of Belarus to international organizations in Vienna, remarked that the exhibition`s theme «eloquently speaks of the symbolic connection between time, the commemoration of history, and the space of the cosmos.»
Driss El Hadani, Deputy Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, called it a great honor to participate in the exhibition opening. He highlighted that the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II also coincides with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, an organization formed after the war.
«This collection of satellite images, created for us by Roscosmos, offers a unique and powerful perspective. Taken from space, they show the landscape of memory – cities, monuments, and landmarks that bear witness to the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who fought for freedom, justice, and peace,» said El Hadani.
Exhibition of Earth remote sensing images dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II in Vienna
