More than 180 Russian Scientists & Academics Demand Russia Stop Ukraine Invasion
Not all Russians support Putin’s attack on neighboring Ukraine. Dozens of Russian TV personalities, artists and celebrities came out against the war this week, and now some of Russia’s finest academics and scientists published and signed a letter online condemning the attack on Ukraine and demanding an immediate ‘halt to all Russian military operations directed against Ukraine’.
Over 180 Russian mathematicians and Physicists, to Professors of Journalism and Biology from all over Russia signed a letter of demand, which makes several points as to why war and hostilities toward Ukraine are wrong. This is a rare glimpse into dissenting opinions in Russia, few voices against Putin’s regime are broadcasted in Russia, let alone paid attention to in the West.
Anti-war picketers demonstrating in St. Petersburg this week were arrested and given 10-15 days in jail for simply holding anti-war signs in a public square. It can be quite dangerous to speak out against the government in Russia, so it is hard to measure how many Russians actually dislike what their government is doing.
The letter below describes Ukraine as a friend and brother to Russia, describes Russian aggression as a betrayal, and warns of the dire consequences if it is not stopped.
Here is the English Translation of their letter:
“We, Russian scientists and scientific journalists, declare a strong protest against the hostilities launched by the armed forces of our country on the territory of Ukraine. This fatal step leads to huge human losses and undermines the foundations of the established system of international security. The responsibility for unleashing a new war in Europe lies entirely with Russia. There is no reasonable justification for this war.
“Our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought together against Nazism.”
Attempts to use the situation in Donbass as a pretext for launching a military operation do not inspire any confidence. It is clear that Ukraine does not pose a threat to the security of our country. The war against her is unfair and frankly senseless. Ukraine has been and remains a country close to us. Many of us have relatives, friends and scientific colleagues living in Ukraine. Our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought together against Nazism.
Unleashing a war for the sake of the geopolitical ambitions of the leadership of the Russian Federation, driven by dubious historiosophical fantasies, is a cynical betrayal of their memory.
We respect Ukrainian statehood, which rests on really working democratic institutions. We treat the European choice of our neighbors with understanding. We are convinced that all problems in relations between our countries can be resolved peacefully. By unleashing the war, Russia doomed itself to international isolation, to the position of a pariah country. This means that we, scientists, will no longer be able to do our job normally: after all, conducting scientific research is unthinkable without full cooperation with colleagues from other countries.
“By unleashing the war, Russia doomed itself to international isolation, to the position of a pariah country.”
The isolation of Russia from the world means further cultural and technological degradation of our country in the complete absence of positive prospects. War with Ukraine is a step to nowhere. It is bitter for us to realize 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 an immediate halt to all military operations directed against Ukraine. We demand respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. We demand peace for our countries. Let’s do science, not war!
To see the letter in Russian the signatures of its supporters visit: https://trv-science.ru/2022/02/we-are-against-war/
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