Ukraine Calls on the International Scientific Community to End Cooperation with Russian Research Institutions

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, is calling on the international scientific community to end institutional cooperation with Russian academic and research institutions, particularly in the areas of joint research, scientific publications and editorial activities.

In an open letter, the Ministries emphasise that Russia continues to systematically attack Ukraine’s research infrastructure, while Russian research institutions retain access to international research networks, academic publications and scientific resources.

In particular, on 28 September 2026, a Russian drone struck the building of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv. The attack killed two people, injured seven others and caused significant damage to the building.

“Russia is systematically destroying Ukraine’s research infrastructure, while its own research institutions continue to benefit from opportunities for international academic cooperation. This situation is unacceptable. We call on our international partners to move from statements of solidarity to concrete decisions - to end joint research with Russian institutions and restrict their participation in international scientific publications and editorial activities. Scientific cooperation must be based on the principles of responsibility and academic integrity,” said Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

In its appeal, Ukraine calls on international universities, research institutes, scientific societies and research funding organisations to suspend joint research projects involving researchers affiliated with Russian academic and research institutions.

Particular attention is given to academic publishers, editorial boards and the editorial teams of international scientific journals. They are urged to introduce the practice of desk rejection of manuscripts where the authors are affiliated with Russian academic and research institutions, without sending them for external peer review. The appeal also proposes suspending the editorial duties of individuals who hold formal institutional affiliations with such institutions.

At the same time, the letter emphasises that the proposed measures concern institutional cooperation with Russian research organisations, regardless of the citizenship, nationality or ethnic origin of individual researchers.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine calls on Ukrainian universities, research institutions, research organisations and the academic community to actively disseminate the open letter among their international partners, international scientific associations, academic publishers, editorial boards and the editorial teams of scientific journals. It is important that the appeal reaches the widest possible international audience and serves as a basis for concrete institutional decisions to end cooperation with Russian research institutions.

Full text of the open letter.