Matthias Maurer, a European Space Agency astronaut who returned to Earth last month from the International Space Station, said he could watch the Russia-Ukraine conflict from 250 miles (400 kilometers) above the planet.
Based on the satellite pictures, the buildings across Mariupol were entirely devastated by Russian bombardment. The city's railway station and important landmarks, including the Mariupol theatre, have been attacked.
IN SPACE - AUGUST 15: In this handout photo provided by NASA, Astronaut Rick Mastracchio, STS-118 mission specialist, participates in the mission's third planned session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station August 15, 2007 in Space. During the 5-hour, 28-minute spacewalk, Mastracchio and astronaut Clay Anderson (out of frame), Expedition 15 flight engineer, relocated the S-Band Antenna Sub-Assembly from Port 6 (P6) to Port 1 (P1) truss, installed a new transponder on P1 and retrieved the P6 transponder.
Russia-Ukraine War Can Be Seen on ISS, ESA Astronaut Says
The invasion was "clearly visible to the naked eye from space," according to Maurer.
"When you're in space, you feel so far away at first," he told German network ARD (as translated by Newsweek).
However, he claimed to have seen massive black columns of smoke rising from places such as Mariupol.
Maurer also claimed that he could watch the first signs of the invasion unfold from the International Space Station. They witnessed the effects of the conflict during its early days, with Maurer recalling seeing some lightning in Kyiv at night.
He went on to say that seeing the conflict from above adds to the intensity of the proceedings. Mauer and his colleagues didn't require any additional equipment to watch the conflict from orbit.
However, Maurer did not specify whether he and his Russian crewmates discussed the conflict in space, according to Space.com. Still, the International Space Station multinational cooperation, led by Russia and the United States, is intact and has no major operational problems.
Nonetheless, the invasion has shattered countless other Russian space relationships.
Despite repeated speculations that his homecoming might be hindered due to the war, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei landed in Kazakhstan in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft without incident on March 30.
"I certainly never had any concerns about how I was going to be treated by the Russian space program. Honestly, our interactions, our partnership with the Russians, has been one of the reasons we've been able to fund the space program," Vande Hei told the Washington Post.
Russia-Ukraine War Satellite Photos
Even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in mid-February, satellite photographs from orbit indicated the massing of over 100,000 troops on the country's border.
Satellite photographs have continued to highlight the events unfolding within the battle as the war rages on.
According to satellite photographs released in April, the remains of people in the village of Bucha were discovered "weeks before" Russian soldiers departed.
RELATED ARTICLE: What's Next for International Space Station After Russia Invaded Ukraine and Expressed Interest to Cut Ties With NASA? Astronauts, Experts Speak Up
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