The Kremlin has announced that scientists involved in the development of hypersonic missiles have been charged with treason, and this information has caused worry in the Russian academic environment, writes Reuters.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that he was aware of the open letter of the Siberian scientists in defense of their colleagues, however, the matter is the responsibility of the security authorities. In a letter published on the 15th of May, Anatoly Maslov, Alexander Shiplyuk, and Valery Zvegintsev’s colleagues defended the scientists’ innocence and stated that the prosecution’s charges will cause irreparable harm to Russian science. “We know each of them as a patriot and a decent person who is not capable of doing what the investigating authorities suspect them of,” the researchers wrote.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has often boasted that the country is the world leader in the production of hypersonic missiles,
which can reach a speed of 12,250 kilometers per hour. On the 16th of May, Ukraine reported that it shot down six such missiles in one night. Russia has disputed this.
The materials of academic conferences over many years show that the arrested scientists often participated in it with discoveries in the field of hypersonic weapons. Colleagues of scientists at the Novosibirsk research institute ITAM assured that the materials presented at the international conferences have been checked several times to make sure that there is no restricted access information in the publications.
ITAM representatives stated in the letter that almost any material in scientific publications can serve as a basis for accusations of treason, and they are worried not only about the fate of their colleagues but also about how to continue scientific work in general.
Laser technology specialist Dmitry Kolker is also mentioned in the letter. The Siberian scientist was arrested last year on suspicion of treason and taken to Moscow despite suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer. Kolker died two days after his arrest.
Read also: Putin sends a hypersonic missile frigate to the Atlantic Ocean