1/ At least 2,500 scientists are reported to have left Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022 and the number of published scientific papers has collapsed. This comes as the result of isolation due to sanctions, visa restrictions and state paranoia. ⬇️
2/ Novaya Gazeta Europe (NGE) reports on the outcome of a survey of the international ORCID database, which lists more than 20 million scientists globally. Registration in ORCID is mandatory for publishing employees of large Russian universities.
3/ The data indicates more than 130,000 scientists resident in Russia in October 2023. The share of these changing their residence from Russia to a foreign country was practically unchanged from 2012 to 2021, but jumped to 30% in 2022.
4/ NGE estimates that, based on the trendlines, around 2,500 scientists have emigrated since 2022. The number of foreign scientists choosing to come to Russia has also dropped by over two-thirds.
5/ Many of the emigrants are likely to be younger people, as older, more established scientists face more professional and personal difficulties from emigration. Younger men are also more likely to be subjected to mobilisation and have a bigger incentive to leave Russia.
6/ According to one university professional interviewed by NGE, "the best are trying to leave immediately after completing their bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate studies." Unlike IT workers, scientists are not exempted from being mobilised to fight in Ukraine.
7/ While most emigrating Russian scientists left for the US, Germany and the UK before the war, since February 2023 other destinations have been prefered, in particular Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and the UAE with a 300% growth in Russian scientific immigration.
8/ The top three destinations are now Germany, the US and Israel – which has had a 175% increase. However, Russian scientific immigration to the UK, France and the US has fallen by more than 20%.
9/ The impact on Russian science is already visible, with a sharp fall in the number and quality of published papers. The share of global science attributed to Russia has fallen from 2-3% to only 1-2%. Russian participation in international scientific conferences has shrunk.
10/ The collapse has been particularly noticeable in the proportion of academic conference papers with a Russia-affiliated author. Around 35,000 had at least one Russia-based author in 2021 but this dropped to about 20,000 in 2022 and only about 11,000 in 2023.
11/ One publication, the UK-based Journal of Physics: Conference Series, illustrates this trend starkly: papers by Russian authors presented in the series fell from nearly 6,000 in 2021 to only 106 by November 2023, despite Russia traditionally being a leader in physics research.
12/ The reasons for this are not hard to find. Scientists are often physically unable to attend conferences due to visa restrictions and bans on direct flights between Russia and the West. Russian scientists were also removed from international collaborative programmes.
13/ Russian scientists report an growing atmosphere of fear and paranoia at home, as well as a shortage of equipment and scientific supplies due to sanctions. Contact and collaboration with foreigners is regarded with increasing suspicion by the authorities.
14/ In some instances, distinguished scientists working on hypersonics and quantum technology have been charged with treason and illegally sharing information in a number of high-profile cases, even though they are said to have had official permission to collaborate.
15/ The impact on Russian science is likely to last for decades. The losses are not all one way, however, as Russia's withdrawal from the global scientific community is likely to hinder collective efforts on issues such as climate change. /end
1/ Russia's puppet republics in eastern Ukraine are suffering a 'gasoline collapse' as a result of Ukraine's recent refinery attacks. Civilians are queuing for hours to buy expensive fuel, and the Russian military is also short of gasoline. ⬇️
2/ As previously reported, disruption to fuel supplies has spread across Russia as a result of the Ukrainian drone strike campaign against Russian refineries. Russian warblogger Anastasia Kashevarova reports on the situation in occupied Ukraine:
3/ "Gasoline collapse in the DPR and LPR [Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic].
Huge 2-3 hour queues at gas stations. Resellers sell a litre for 200 rubles ($2.45). A litre of A-95 gasoline reaches 90 rubles ($1.09) at gas stations, or even more.
1/ Russian soldiers in Ukraine are stealing abandoned weapons from the battlefield and smuggling them back into Russia, or simply selling their own weapons to arms dealers. There has been a 300% increase in arms-trafficking cases since 2021. ⬇️
2/ An investigation by the Russian independent media outlet Verstka has identified a massive increase in cases heard by garrison courts against military personnel charged with the purchase, sale, storage, transportation and theft of weapons and ammunition.
3/ According to court records, the number of such cases has increased from 41 in 2021 to 137 in 2023. There have been at least 93 cases in the first 8 months of 2025, which suggests a final figure close to or exceeding that in 2023.
1/ There have been repeated incidents across Russia of vandalism of the graves of soldiers killed in the war in Ukraine. The motive, if any, isn't known. ⬇️
2/ Graves of Ukraine war casualties were desecrated in early September 2025 in the Kozitsynskoye cemetery in Vologda. Crosses were torn down along with flags and wreaths.
3/ There have been multiple similar incidents in the same cemetery. In February 2025, several graves were set alight, with two being destroyed by fire.
1/ Men with HIV and hepatitis are openly being recruited online for service with the Russian army, despite a ban on recruiting those with infectious diseases. The army already faces a disease epidemic, which is prompting the creation of special 'HIV regiments'. ⬇️
2/ Avito, the Russian version of eBay, currently has over 1,100 adverts offering military contracts. While some are likely to be 'official' adverts from military recruitment offices, many regions now offer bounties to anyone who recruits a soldier.
3/ This is almost certainly prompting recruiters to sign up anyone they can, even if they are legally prohibited from enlisting. Numerous adverts seek people to serve as drivers, drone operators, and artillerymen, but openly state that infected men are welcomed or considered.
1/ Russia's BMD-4M is virtually defenceless against FPV drones and prone to exploding spectacularly when hit. This is being blamed on outdated requirements for the vehicle to be air-droppable and amphibious, which its own makers admit have left it "virtually devoid of armour". ⬇️
2/ The BMD-4M was designed in 2008 for the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV). It has performed poorly during the Ukraine war, with at least 176 vehicles lost. Much of the blame has fallen on the very thin aluminum alloy hull armour.
3/ Soldiers have attempted to improve the armour themselves by adding cages to the roofs of the BMD-4Ms, where the armour is only 5-6mm thick. This has not been very successful due to the armour everywhere else only being thick enough to withstand bullets and shell splinters.
1/ Russian "werewolves in uniform", profiteering businessmen, and grifters on Telegram are keeping the war in Ukraine going for their own personal benefit, according to another vitrolic commentary from the popular Russian warblogger 'Fighterbomber'. ⬇️
2/ Once again referring to Russia euphemistically as "Laos", the author writes:
"Well, I'll say a little more about Laos. Everything in a heap, so as not to get up twice."
3/ "Here at one meeting on the eve of the negotiations in Alaska between our leader and the American one, the toastmaster of the meeting said something like the following to his servants.