We, Russian scientists and scientific journalists, make a strong protest against the acts of war launched by the armed forces of our country on the territory of Ukraine.

This fateful move results in colossal human sacrifices and undermines the very foundations of the established system of international security.

Responsibility for unleashing a new war in Europe rests entirely with Russia.

There are no reasonable justifications for this war.

Attempts to use the situation in Donbass as a reason to launch a military operation do not inspire any confidence.

It is quite obvious that Ukraine does not pose a threat to our country's security.

The war against them is unjustified and obviously pointless.

Ukraine was and will remain a country close to us.

Many of us have relatives, friends and colleagues in the field of science in Ukraine.

Our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought together against National Socialism.

The unleashing of war over the geopolitical ambitions of the Russian Federation's leadership, guided by dubious historiosophical fantasies, is a cynical betrayal of their memory.

We respect Ukrainian statehood, which is based on actually functioning democratic institutions.

We see the European choice of our neighbors with understanding.

We are convinced that all problems in relations between our countries can be solved peacefully.

By unleashing war, Russia has condemned itself to international isolation, an outcast country.

This means that we scientists will not be able to go about our work in a normal way now;

because scientific investigations are unthinkable without full cooperation with colleagues from other countries.

Russia's isolation from the world means further cultural and technological depreciation of our country, with a complete lack of positive prospects.

The war against Ukraine is a step towards nothing.

It is difficult for us to see that our country, which made a decisive contribution to the victory over Nazism, has now become the instigator of a new war on the European continent.

We demand the immediate cessation of all military actions directed against Ukraine.

We demand respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state.

We demand peace for our countries.

More than 380 scientists

signed this open letter within 24 hours, which was also published on the Internet, including 65 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Founded in 1724 by Peter the Great and based in Moscow, the National Academy is the highest-ranking research institution in the Russian Federation.

Translation from Russian by

Werner Lehfeldt

.