Sanctions were imposed on Russia after it initiated a special operation in Ukraine, and they were not limited to banking and commercial restrictions. Along with living and long-dead artists, numerous competitions have enforced vengeful bans to ensure that nothing Russian escapes punishment, including cats and trees.

The Space Foundation, an American non-profit organization created in 1983, has renamed its Yuri's Night fundraiser "in light of current world events."

The original title was a tribute to the first man to journey into space, famous Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space, has been stripped of his honours by the Space Foundation “in light of current world events". pic.twitter.com/KKq31bb5D6

— In Context (@incontextmedia) March 18, 2022

“The focus of this fundraising event remains the same — to celebrate human achievements in space while inspiring the next generation to reach for the stars,” the Foundation reportedly explained in a statement.
 
The message was later deleted, but the official name of the event was changed to “A Celebration of Space: Discover What’s Next.”

Space Symposium

Every spring, the Space Symposium is held at the Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs (USA). This year's event, which will include seminars, lectures, forums, auctions, and other activities, is scheduled to take place from April 4 to 7.

So far, only one Yuri's Night event has had its name changed. Meanwhile, the event is held in hundreds of cities around the world each year. It's unclear how many of these events will take place this year, or whether any of them, other than the one hosting the "Space Symposium," will change their names.

The decision has stunned not just the space business but also ordinary users, who have dubbed the measure "very foolish."

“Literally the entire point of Yuri’s Night is to celebrate achievements in space across cultures and nations. Also, Russia isn’t the USSR???” another user wrote.

“I wonder how this idea would poll among humans who have seen the Earth from orbit,” another noted.

Why was Gagarin removed?

Aside from the Space Foundation event, a controversy about Yuri Gagarin's "cancellation" developed at Luxembourg's Mondorf-les-Bains, where his monument was covered up with fabric.

According to the mayor, he was called by a group of people who demanded that the bust be removed. He justified the move to conceal the monument by saying it will "stop the debates and preserve the bust from future destruction."

The mayor also stated that removing the memorial would be "of little use" and would not happen in the future. "It is evident that the invasion cannot be supported," he said, "but neither Yuri Gagarin nor Russian art is to blame."

Origins of cruel intentions 

Last year, the State Department failed to mention Gagarin in a Facebook post marking the 60th anniversary of the first man in space, which was criticized as a distortion of history by the Russian embassy.

Read more: Washington wants political points on Russophobia: Russia Embassy in US

It was unclear whether US authorities had forgotten or were just unaware that the UN General Assembly had declared April 12 to be the International Day of Human Space Flight in honor of the Soviet astronaut.

What is Russophobia?

After Russia declared the launching of a military operation in Ukraine, the half-dormant Russophobia beast was fully awakened and the Western world channeled its racism against all-things Russia.

Read more: Paulo Coelho: Ukraine crisis 'convenient excuse' for Russophobia

The Western attitude towards the special operation revealed the West's true intentions towards Russia, and what it really aims to get out of the pressure. 

By banning everything that has to do with Russia and feeding the media with a Western narrative, the West planted the roots of Russophobia around the world in a desperate attempt to isolate Russia completely. 

However, Russophobia has become more than just a racist attitude but has sparked violence as well. Earlier, unknown assailants started a fire at the gym entrance of the Lomonosov Russian-German bilingual school in Berlin Thursday through Friday night, the Berlin police said.

The police revealed that the arson did not result in any casualties, and the fire was extinguished after a passer-by called the fire brigade and the police to the school.

"After unknown people set fire to the entrance of a gym in Marzahn this morning, the police department of state security is now investigating at the Berlin Criminal Police Office," the police said.