When other countries are launching space missions, inventing medicines for previously incurable diseases, developing artificial intelligence technologies, the Russian Federation is massively shelling the Ukrainian critical infrastructure, again and again depriving millions of Ukrainians of electricity, heating and water. Dozens of peaceful cities, towns, and civilian facilities across all of Ukraine have already suffered from Russian artillery and missile attacks. Scientific and educational institutions, objects of research infrastructure have been no exceptions.
Russian invaders have caused heavy damage to the world-famous Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, in particular, to the unique nuclear subcritical installation ‘Neutron Source’; the world’s largest decameter radio telescope УТР-2 at the Institute of Radio Astronomy; the Chornobyl laboratory of the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants; the buildings of Pulse Processes and Technologies in Mykolaiv and V. Bakul Institute for Superhard Materials in Kyiv. Damaged were scientific libraries, botanical gardens and arboretums. Several nature reserves are still under occupation. Because of frequent planned and emergency electricity outages, interruptions of water and heating supply, expensive scientific equipment fails, scientists cannot work effectively and carry out research. In fact, the Russian aggression is purposefully destroying science in Ukraine as a profession, a vitally important foundation of Ukraine statehood, a guarantee of its post-war reconstruction. Scienticide as a component of genocide is a strategy of Russian invaders’ actions.
We are infinitely grateful to our foreign friends and partners, who since the very first days of the full-scale Russian invasion have expressed their sincere support to and solidarity with our country and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, given shelter to hundreds of Ukrainian research refugees, provided and continue to provide financial support and equipment. Russia, on the contrary, continues to build up offensive weapons for further attacks, considering impunity, indulgence or indifference as an encouragement of further crimes. And it will not stop if it is not stopped. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are doing that on the battlefield. But the “scientific front” is no less important.
We call on the world scientific community to stop any kind of collaboration with all Russian scientists and research organizations, to expel Russia, as well as individual and collective members representing it, from all international scientific organizations, programs and projects. Tougher scientific sanctions must show Russia that to wage a war aiming at the destruction of an entire nation, blackmail the world with nuclear weapon, the lack of access to energy resources and a threat of famine in the 21st century is unacceptable. Acting together, we can bring peace closer.