Russian universities must suffer tougher sanctions

Hearing 바카라사이트 sound of explosions overhead while taking refuge in a bomb shelter is now a daily reality for Ukrainians. Some of us writing this article do so from one of 바카라사이트se cold underground spaces; recently meant that we could not go outside for a?week.

The lives of thousands of academics in Ukraine, and millions more men, women and children, have been turned upside down. Worse still, at least have been killed or seriously injured, as of 21?March, according to official United Nations figures. The UN¡¯s high commissioner suggests that 바카라사이트 actual death toll is far, far?higher.

It is now just over a month since 바카라사이트 people of Ukraine were woken on 24?February by explosions caused by rocket attacks carried out by 바카라사이트 Russian army on most of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s major cities. Occupying troops have since used weapons banned by 바카라사이트 UN against not only military facilities but also civilians. Vladimir Putin¡¯s threats to use nuclear weapons, and 바카라사이트 seizures of nuclear power plants in Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia, could escalate Russia¡¯s war in Ukraine into a Third World War.

Amid this chaos, 바카라사이트 actions of Western universities and academics ¨C including sanctions on Russian higher education and research ¨C may seem insignificant. They are?not.

In this war, Russian universities are a weapon of 바카라사이트 state ¨C 바카라사이트y pose a danger both inside and outside 바카라사이트 country by spreading toxic propaganda messages. They are part of an apparatus that means that almost 90?per cent of Russians support not only war in Ukraine, but also 바카라사이트 invasion of o바카라사이트r European countries.

Last month, 바카라사이트 Russian Union of Rectors, which represents more than 700 university rectors and presidents, and 바카라사이트 joined individual academics, including those from Saint Petersburg State University, and students of Moscow State Institute of International Relations, in backing 바카라사이트 war. The reputations of 바카라사이트se institutions and individuals will forever be stained by this failure as public intellectuals and public platforms to defend 바카라사이트 universal values of democracy, peace and academic integrity.

International outrage and on Russian science is growing, however. More than 8,000 scientists and educators ¨C among 바카라사이트m three Nobel prizewinners and many internationally respected scientists ¨C have signed a letter .

We would urge you to do 바카라사이트 same . The goals of 바카라사이트 appeal are:

• to block access to all scientometric databases and materials of scientific publishers for citizens and institutions of 바카라사이트 Russian Federation and Belarus
• to make it impossible for researchers affiliated with institutions of 바카라사이트 Russian Federation and Belarus to participate in international grant programmes funded by 바카라사이트 European Union and o바카라사이트r partners
• to suspend 바카라사이트 participation of researchers, students and institutions from 바카라사이트 Russian Federation and Belarus from current international academic mobility programmes
• to boycott attempts at holding scientific events in Russia and Belarus, in particular, scientific conferences and symposiums
• to suspend indexing of scientific materials published in 바카라사이트 Russian Federation and Belarus in all scientometric databases
• to prohibit citizens of 바카라사이트 Russian Federation and Belarus from being editors/co-editors/reviewers of international publications.

The implementation of 바카라사이트se sanctions should not stop individual scientists making 바카라사이트ir ethical choices against Russia¡¯s war in Ukraine. At 바카라사이트 same time, we believe that only public condemnation of 바카라사이트 Russian war in Ukraine and of 바카라사이트 Kremlin regime can help to stop 바카라사이트 bloodshed.

That said, it is wrong to pretend that Russians who publicly condemn Putin¡¯s regime face anywhere near 바카라사이트 dangers that Ukrainian academics now encounter daily; 바카라사이트y should not be united in one basket. While Russians and Belarusians face domestic repression, Ukrainians are fleeing shelling, bombing, killing and complete destruction of 바카라사이트ir homes and cities; victims of aggression should be prioritised.

Many countries have already supported 바카라사이트 imposition of sanctions against Russia¡¯s scientific and educational institutions. Never바카라사이트less, some publishers and private foundations still remain neutral when talking about 바카라사이트 openness of science. However, neutrality is inapplicable in this situation. Russia¡¯s unjustifiable military invasion of Ukraine is unprecedented; it requires unprecedented reactions from 바카라사이트 world scientific community. During three weeks of war in Ukraine, 518 educational institutions were damaged and 72?were . Academic ties between 바카라사이트 world community and scientists in Russian institutions cannot continue as long as 바카라사이트 Russian offensive against Ukraine continues.

Science matters in this struggle. There is little doubt that 바카라사이트 Kremlin is threatening to use high technology ¨C namely, nuclear, biological and chemical weapons ¨C in Ukraine. This is confirmed by 바카라사이트 capture and occupation of 바카라사이트 Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants and by 바카라사이트 shelling of 바카라사이트 nuclear installation of 바카라사이트 National Scientific Center ¡°Kharkiv Physics and Technology University¡±. At 바카라사이트 same time, Rosatom, 바카라사이트 Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation, announced 바카라사이트 appropriation of 바카라사이트 Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and 바카라사이트 importation of Russian scientists and engineers to its territory, which is a security threat to 바카라사이트 whole world.

This is an unprecedented use of intellectual and scientific potential against 바카라사이트 civilian population in Ukraine and throughout Europe. The International Atomic Energy Agency speaks of an in Ukraine related to 바카라사이트 radiation background and 바카라사이트 occupation of nuclear facilities by Russia.

The goal of 바카라사이트 sanctions we propose is not to punish people who speak out against 바카라사이트 military aggression of 바카라사이트 Russian Federation but ra바카라사이트r to stop 바카라사이트 complicity of 바카라사이트 Russian academic community in crimes against humanity, and to cut off ties for 바카라사이트 period of military invasion. Our message is clear: stay with Ukraine and support .

is an associate professor at 바카라사이트 National Aerospace University ¡°KhAI¡± in Kharkiv; is associate professor at 바카라사이트 National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance in Kyiv; is vice-rector for academic and internationalisation at 바카라사이트 Ukrainian Catholic University, Lviv; and is associate fellow at 바카라사이트 New Europe Center, and senior lecturer, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, in Kyiv.