From Fair to ESA: Sanctions against aggressor Russia are slowing down researchers in Hesse

Russia's attack on Ukraine also has a variety of effects on Hesse.

The sanctions also affect research projects of large scientific institutions and cooperation between universities.

For example, one of the currently largest research projects worldwide is affected, the construction of the particle accelerator (Fair) in Darmstadt.

The management of the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research, which is responsible for the project, supports the sanctions.

"These will have a strong impact on our own activities, because Russia is the largest partner country in the fair project, but the management believes that the funds are necessary in this situation," said the GSI Helmholz Center.

With immediate effect, all cooperation with state institutions and business enterprises in Russia has been stopped and dialogue forums have been broken off.

Projects with researchers from Russia have been frozen and are being reviewed.

The communication had been stopped.

"Fair" would like to stick to the goal of carrying out the first experiments from the end of 2025 and is currently investigating whether this is feasible with the components that have already been delivered and, if necessary, other alternative solutions."

The particle accelerator facility is one of the world's largest facilities for basic physical research.

Among other things, the origin of the universe is to be explored with it.

Total investments are currently around 3.1 billion euros.

The main sponsors of the project are the federal government and the state of Hesse.

Finland, France, India, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden and Slovenia are also partners as foreign partners.

The sanctions also have an impact on the control center of the European space agency ESA in Darmstadt.

This affects the European-Russian space project "Exomars" to search for traces of life on the red planet.

The ESA announced on Thursday that it is currently not possible to carry out the ongoing cooperation with a launch later this year.

"While ESA recognizes the impact on scientific exploration of space, it fully endorses the sanctions imposed on Russia by its member states."

The mission, which was supposed to start in September, should be controlled by the Darmstadt specialists after the start.

ESA controls most of its satellites from Darmstadt.

Universities support sanctions

Hesse's universities are also affected.

According to a survey by the German Press Agency, all universities in Hesse support the EU sanctions.

In accordance with the recommendations of the scientific organizations and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), all cooperation with Russia has been suspended until further notice.

However, students should not be affected by the sanctions: Universities are offering help, especially for Ukrainian students, but also for Russian students.

According to the Philipps University of Marburg, for example, it has nine bilateral partnerships with Russian universities that are now on hold.

There is scientific cooperation not only with Russia, but also with Ukraine.

The University of Kassel, for example, has cooperation agreements with two Ukrainian universities: in Kyiv and Lviv.

According to the press office, this cooperation should be intensified “if possible”.

In addition to the effects on research, universities are also concerned with the consequences for teaching - and the welfare of students.

262 Ukrainian and 300 students from Russia are enrolled at Frankfurt's Goethe University.

The University of Marburg has 70 students from Ukraine and 263 from Russia.

61 students from Ukraine and 102 from Russia are currently enrolled in Giessen on a permanent basis or as visiting and exchange students.

At the University of Kassel there are around 40 students or scientists from Ukraine and just as many from Russia.

80 students from Ukraine and about 130 from Russia are enrolled at the Technical University (TU) Darmstadt.

According to the press office, ten TU students are currently still at one of the six Russian partner universities as part of exchange programs.

The Presidium is in contact with them about a possible return trip.

Universities are trying to help Ukrainians.

"Most of them are currently trying to bring their family members to Marburg," reported the spokeswoman for the University of Marburg.

"An aid fund is being set up here, which is intended to provide bridging financing until the start of state programs." But the Russian students also need help: "We are receiving more and more inquiries from Russian students who are worried about getting into financial difficulties and/or in Germany want to apply for asylum.”