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/ Russian 'grey imports' to support the war effort are facing a crisis, following simultaneous crackdowns by Chinese, Kazakh and Russian customs officials. Thousands of truckloads of drone parts and medical supplies are said to be stuck at the border. ⬇️
2/ Much of the frontline Russian army's supplies comes from 'humanitarian aid' organised by volunteer groups, who purchase supplies from Chinese companies and ship it overland to Russia – either directly across the Chinese border or via Kazakhstan, which is cheaper.
3/ However, multiple Russian warbloggers say that the customs services of all three countries have cracked down on grey imports, for differing reasons. They warn that this threatens a crisis for the front lines, and the loss of many Russian soldiers' lives.
1/ The Russian warblogger Maxim Kalashnikov says that on parts of the front line, the ratio of killed and wounded is "almost 1:1 already". His friend Yuri Yevich blames Ukrainian drones for preventing evacuations at any time of the day or night. ⬇️
2/ In a video interview, Kalashnikov and Yevich discuss what Kalashnikov calls "a terrible problem":
3/ "I judge by what they write about evacuations and medical losses. That is, our wounded are not being transported for objective reasons and are forced to wait for help, sometimes for days, while wounded. It is very, very difficult to evacuate them.
1/ A Russian soldier has spoken of his experience of mutinying with his comrades against his commander and subsequently deserting. "Don't go to fight, no matter what they promise you," he says. "There's only one thing there—death." ⬇️
2/ The man was one of the original batch of men mobilised in October 2022, which he says took place when he was given a draft order at his workplace. He was susequently sent to Ukraine to join an assault unit of the Russian Airborne Forces.
3/ The unidentified man says that his unit mutinied in 2024 after 75% of them were killed in an operation. "We didn't exactly have a storm, probably even worse than that. This is an airborne assault brigade. So, they sent us, the airborne, to be butchered."
1/ Russian political officers – responsible for maintaining the morale of the Russian army's troops – are handing out instructions to their men advising them on the best ways of committing suicide. ⬇️
2/ An understandably startled Russian soldier from the 1444th Motorised Rifle Regiment records a video to a friend or relative explaining what he's just been told in a briefing:
3/ "Are you having fun right now? The political officer, [callsign] 'Beard', gathered us all together and handed out these papers. Look."
1/ Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin isn't impressed with Russia's meatgrinder tactics and warns that the Ukrainians are becoming relatively stronger despite Russia's ongoing attacks. He warns that a full mobilisation is becoming inevitable, and wants to see change in the high command. ⬇️
2/ The jailed Girkin has sent another lengthy missive from his confines, returning to a theme he has promoted before – the wastefulness of the Russian army's tactics and the uselessness of its generals – as well as getting dangerously close to directly attacking Putin himself:
3/ "(in response to a letter dated October 13, 2025)
Dear Alexander Nikolaevich! Thank you for the information—both regarding the much-talked-about post by blogger Kartavykh and other events...."
1/ Chinese-made cars are choking and dying on fraudulently diluted Russian gasoline, which an increasing number of gas stations are selling as the country's fuel shortage worsens. ⬇️
2/ Dozens of Chinese-made Geely cars are reported to have broken down after filling up, with some owners losing control while driving, due to contaminated gasoline killing their engines. Geely Motors say that it's due to the deteriorating quality of Russian gasoline.
3/ According to Geely, the gasoline sold in Russia contains higher levels of oxidants than Chinese gasoline, which is causing the failures.