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Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev Pulled from SpaceX Crew-12 After Alleged ITAR Breach

Overview: Oleg Artemyev was removed from SpaceX's Crew-12 roster and replaced by Andrei Fedyayev. Roscosmos cited a reassignment, while outside reporting and a launch analyst allege an ITAR breach involving photographed documents and hardware.

An interdepartmental investigation has reportedly been opened. Crew-12 is set to launch no earlier than Feb. 15 with a roughly six-month stay aboard the ISS.

02:58 PM, 12/03/2025Security
Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev Pulled from SpaceX Crew-12 After Alleged ITAR Breach

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev has been removed from the crew manifest for SpaceX's upcoming Crew-12 flight. Roscosmos says the change reflects a reassignment, but independent reporting and a launch analyst's statement indicate a different reason: an alleged violation of U.S. national security rules under ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations).

According to those reports, Artemyev, 54, was training at SpaceX's Hawthorne, California, facility when he photographed sensitive documentation and hardware, including engine components, and reportedly exported the material using his phone. Launch analyst Gregory Trishkin said his contacts have confirmed a violation and that an interdepartmental investigation has been opened.

"My contacts confirm that a violation occurred and an interdepartmental investigation has been launched," Gregory Trishkin said. "Removing someone from a mission two and a half months before launch without a clear explanation is an indirect sign, but it's indicative. It's hard to imagine an experienced cosmonaut committing such a gross violation inadvertently."

Roscosmos announced on Dec. 2 that Andrei Fedyayev will replace Artemyev on Crew-12. The mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than Feb. 15 and will deliver a four-person crew to the International Space Station for roughly six months, including European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and two additional, as-yet-unannounced crew members.

Artemyev is a veteran of three long-duration missions to the ISS, accumulating 560 days in orbit on expeditions launched in March 2014, March 2018 and March 2022. His most recent launch took place roughly a month after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In July 2022 Roscosmos released images of Artemyev and colleagues aboard the station holding flags related to Russian-backed separatist regions, an action that drew condemnation from international partners who said the ISS should not be used for political messaging.

ITAR governs the sharing and dissemination of certain technical data and hardware items to protect U.S. national security. If an astronaut or visitor to U.S. facilities is found to have taken or transferred restricted information, it can prompt administrative action, removal from flight assignments and investigations by multiple agencies.

Officials at SpaceX and NASA were asked for comment but did not immediately provide a response.

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