Russian Academy of Sciences urges for peace, appeals to world science community to strengthen ties

Members of Russian Academy of Sciences appealed for the immediate solution of humanitarian issues related, first of all, to ensuring the security and normal living conditions of the civilian population in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The members also appealed to all parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of scientific, educational, medical and cultural institutions and monuments of historical heritage. The statement issued by the Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences also urged the world scientific community to continue and strengthen the cooperation and "prevent any attempts to restrict access to international scientific infrastructure, publication opportunities, and open databases."

It is important to prevent the destruction of nuclear energy centers, the chemical industry, and other critical infrastructure facilities, the statement read.

Here is the entire statement:

We, members of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, appeal to scientists from Russia and all over the world.

The long-term confrontation in Ukraine, accompanied by the death and deprivation of civilians, has grown into an acute military conflict. We consider it extremely important through the negotiation process to achieve a cessation of hostilities and an early peaceful settlement. We experience serious fears for the life and health of people, including our fellow scientists, who are in the war zone in the territory of Donbass and Ukraine.

We stand for the immediate solution of humanitarian issues related, first of all, to ensuring the security and normal living conditions of the civilian population. We appeal to all parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of scientific, educational, medical and cultural institutions, monuments of historical heritage. It is important to prevent the destruction of nuclear energy centers, the chemical industry, and other critical infrastructure facilities.

We call on our colleagues from all over the world, national academies of sciences, international and national scientific associations, as well as our other partners in the scientific and educational space, to refrain from positions and actions dictated not by the interests of science, but by the political situation and the severity of the situation. We consider unacceptable any attempts of political pressure on scientists, teachers, graduate students and students and discrimination on the grounds of nationality or citizenship.

We call on the world scientific community to continue and develop cooperation, strengthen international scientific and educational ties, and prevent any attempts to restrict access to international scientific infrastructure, publication opportunities, and open databases.

We consider it necessary to intensify scientific diplomacy and develop the movement of scientists for peace, international security, conflict resolution, reduction of military tension and prevention of the threat of nuclear war.

Информация взята с портала «Научная Россия» (https://scientificrussia.ru/)

With inputs from Ashish Kumar Singh