War in Ukraine: the scientific sector pays a heavy price for the conflict
This is another consequence of the war led by Russia in Ukraine.
Unesco, in an unprecedented inventory work, has measured the extent to which the country's scientific sector is also paying a heavy price to the conflict.
Ukrainian servicemen visit an exhibition of destroyed Russian military vehicles, in kyiv, Ukraine, February 27, 2024. (illustrative photo) © Gleb Garanich / Reuters
By: Simon Rozé Follow
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Ukraine
has a strong
scientific tradition
, with real contributions in astronomy, nuclear physics and computer science.
It also has a significant industrial base in the space sector, for example, with the Youjmash factories in the Dniepro region.
It is now a thing of the past, as the inventory of destruction drawn up by UNESCO is so extensive.
1,443 buildings and laboratories, as well as 750 scientific equipment, have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the war, more than two years ago.
The UN agency also points to equipment damaged or even stolen by Russian forces.
In total, the loss figure is colossal.
It would therefore be necessary to mobilize more than 1.1 billion euros to rebuild what was destroyed.
Places of knowledge sharing have been the most affected, such as universities, whether faculties of hard sciences or human and social sciences.
UNESCO thus takes as an example the national universities of law and urban economics, in the Kharkiv region, very hard hit during the fierce fighting which took place there in the first months of the Russian offensive.
One in ten Ukrainian scientists exiled
The damage is also human.
More than one in ten Ukrainian scientists, around 10,500, have been forced to exile themselves from their workplace, the majority abroad.
Poland and Germany are the two countries that have most welcomed scientists in exile.
Beyond the human consequences, the war in Ukraine also has an effect on a certain number of jobs, which cannot be outsourced.
This is the case, for example, of studies on biodiversity or local ecology.
This is also true in terms of nuclear safety.
UNESCO is therefore concerned about the fate of the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants in the Zaporizhia region.
“
Equipment critical to monitoring the industry was stolen and destroyed there, including a prominent radiology laboratory monitoring radiation levels
,” it reads.
“
The loss of this surveillance equipment represents a major threat to the security of the entire region
,” adds UNESCO.
Read alsoScientists and researchers around the world are struggling because of the war in Ukraine
Many research programs suspended
At the same time, the public authorities lost interest in the scientific sector in favor of the war effort.
Gross domestic expenditure devoted to research and development decreased by 38.5% between 2021 and 2022, notes UNESCO.
Many research programs have been suspended, to the detriment of Ukrainian science itself.
And the collaborations established by the country with others, Europeans and Africans in particular, are also suffering.
“
The situation is becoming more and more critical for the scientific community
,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO.
“
Research work in Ukraine must be protected and supported.
Scientists, engineers and experts will be essential to the country's recovery, not to mention that this sector is also a valuable source of innovation and discoveries for the rest of the world
,” she concludes.
Also read: Ukraine: a false newspaper cover targets Emmanuel Macron
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