Thousands of Russian scientists and journalists have condemned Vladimir Putin‘meaningless’ invasion of Ukrainerisking fines or even imprisonment.
In an open letter to the increasingly isolated dictator, they said there was no “rational justification for this war” and warned that the country was “doomed to isolation”.
They argue that Russian science and medicine may be abandoned due to a lack of international funding as the world turns the country into a pariah state.
More than 6,100 academics, science journalists and medics cited their name in the document, despite strict Russian laws against freedom of speech.
Any public criticism of the Russian state could result in fines of up to 6,200 British pounds or imprisonment under laws introduced in 2012.
The coalition called for an “immediate cessation of all military operations against Ukraine.”
The United States has already severed ties with the Russian space industry as part of its sanctions package, while GermanyRussia’s largest research sponsor has frozen any scientific cooperation with the country.
The letter was published last Tuesday and was translated into English with the help of Google.
It reads: “We, Russian scientists and scientific journalists, declare a strong protest against the military actions taken by the armed forces of our country on the territory of Ukraine.
Russian scientists have asked Vladimir Putin (pictured in 2017 at an exhibition of Russian small and medium-sized businesses at the ER Telecom office in Perm) to end his “senseless” invasion of Ukraine
Writing in the letter (pictured) – translated by Google – the scientists said: “There is no rational justification for this war. Attempts to use the situation in Donbass as a pretext for launching a military operation do not inspire any confidence. It is clear that Ukraine does not pose a threat to the security of our country. The war against her is unjust and downright pointless.
“This fatal step leads to huge human losses and undermines the foundations of the established system of international security. Russia is solely responsible for starting a new war in Europe.
“There is no rational justification for this war. Attempts to use the situation in Donbass as a pretext for launching a military operation do not inspire any confidence.
NASA is exploring ways to keep the ISS in space if Russia withdraws
NASA explores ways to keep the International Space Station in low Earth orbit without Russian aid to maintain the spacecraft’s propulsion.
It comes after that Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, prompting a series of sanctions from the United States, including restricting cooperation with its space industry.
Last week, Russian space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin warned the United States not to impose sanctions on its space program, threatening to suspend maintenance that could lead to the fall of the 500-ton ISS from orbit in the United States.
Russian cargo spacecraft control the station’s propulsion and keep it in orbit 253 miles above the Earth. Without their regular adjustments, he would have fallen back to Earth.
NASA says it is exploring ways to keep it in orbit without Russian aid, including the use of commercial trucks by SpaceX and Northrup Grumman.
However, the US space agency says it sees no immediate signs of Moscow’s withdrawal from international orbital cooperation.
“It is clear that Ukraine does not pose a threat to the security of our country. The war against her is unjust and downright pointless.
The signatories said that Ukraine’s statehood is based on democratic institutions and that all problems between Russia and its European neighbors can be resolved peacefully.
The letter added: “After starting the war, Russia was doomed to international isolation, to the position of a pariah country.
“This means that we scientists will no longer be able to do our job properly: in the end, conducting research is unthinkable without full cooperation with colleagues from other countries.
“Russia’s isolation from the world means further cultural and technological degradation of our country in the complete absence of positive prospects.
“The war with Ukraine is a step towards nowhere.”
They called for an end to the war. ‘immediately’.
Scholars said: “We want respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. We want peace for our countries. ”
Their letter could get them into trouble in their homeland as Russia pressures freedom of speech and any dissent against the 2012 government.
Any criticism of the Russian state online could result in fines of up to 6,200 British pounds or even imprisonment, according to laws introduced in the same year.
Six thousand protesters protesting against the invasion of Ukraine have already been arrested in Russia.
The international scientific community has condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine, with some calling for an end to all ties with Russian scientists.
NASA is now exploring ways to keep the International Space Station in low Earth orbit without Russian help to maintain the spacecraft’s propulsion.
Meanwhile, more than 130 people signed an open letter to the European Commission and EU member states calling for an immediate halt to all funding for Russian institutions.
What are Putin’s rules against freedom of speech?
Russia began fighting hard for freedom of speech in 2012 with a number of new measures to prevent people from dissenting Putin.
Laws introduced in the same year classify criticism of the government as a “threat to state security and public stability.”
They were introduced when Putin returned to the presidency in May 2012 after a series of protests in the country.
Any criticism of the Russian state online could result in fines of up to 6,200 British pounds or even imprisonment, according to laws introduced in the same year.
From September 2015 to February 2017, the number of people imprisoned for “extremist speech” increased from 54 to 94.
Russian authorities also used anti-criticism laws to invade Crimea in 2014.
Putin has silenced his critics, using the force of law and the state.
Anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny was notorious for poisoning a newcomer in 2020 in Siberia in what is believed to be a government-organized attack.
He is currently behind bars over an old 2014 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in 2017, which Navalny claims is the result of an unfair trial.
Maxim Strikha, a physicist at the Taras Shevchenko National University in Kiev, told the scientific journal nature Russian scientists must be frozen from funding.
He said: “There must be a complete boycott of the Russian academic community. Without cooperation.
“Russia’s academic community must also pay its price for Putin’s support.”
Russia lags behind Europe and the United States in science and health after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The country’s economy collapsed at the time, and tens of thousands of scientists have moved abroad to pursue careers.
Although Putin has promised a new research strategy in 2018 – including 900 new laboratories and additional support for early-stage scientists – on-site funding for most Russian research remains weak.
The country has denied stealing AstraZeneca vaccine data after being accused of stealing blueprints for an Oxford-made strike to develop its own Sputnik V vaccine.
This comes amid a dispute over Russia’s involvement in the International Space Station, with the country threatening to withdraw from maintaining the spacecraft’s propulsion.
Last week, Russian space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin warned the United States not to impose sanctions on its space program, threatening to suspend maintenance that could lead to the fall of the 500-ton ISS from orbit in the United States.
Russian cargo spacecraft control the station’s propulsion and keep it in orbit 253 miles above the Earth. Without their regular adjustments, he would have fallen back to Earth.
NASA says it is exploring ways to keep it in orbit without Russian aid, including the use of commercial trucks by SpaceX and Northrup Grumman.
However, the US space agency says it sees no immediate signs of Moscow’s withdrawal from international orbital cooperation.
Russia last year banned journalists in the country from reporting on its space agency Roscosmos.
Writers who report on Roscosmos are now seen as “foreign agents” under Russian law in order to divert attention from its declining space industry.