Review of 'Scientific publishing sanctions in response to the Russo‐Ukrainian war'

Russia's attack on Ukraine is the largest armed conflict in Europe since the end of World War II. In response to Russia's armed aggression and horrific Russian crimes against peaceful Ukrainians, many global companies have imposed sanctions against Russians and withdrawn from the Russian market, or significantly reduced their operations in Putin's Russia and Belarus. This also applies to academic publishers and other producers of scientific products.

Many research institutions, societies, and organizations refused to cooperate with Russia. Also, many institutions in the world provided support to Ukrainian scientists. At the same time, there are those who, for various reasons, do not want to stop cooperation with Russia. Someone claims that the total isolation of Russians will only harm and Russia will become an increasingly fascist country, and someone wants to use the opportunity to lure Russian scientists, and someone wants to make easy money.

Thus, we have a unique case to examine the response of various global research stakeholders to the war. All participants in the scientific process declare that science should work for the good and progress of all mankind. But today, when another battle between David and Goliath is taking place before our eyes, we see that due to ethical principles and financial interests, it is often not easy for scientific players to choose one side or another.

This paper deals with the important problem of the catastrophic impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the development of Ukrainian science, both now and in the foreseeable future. The authors managed to maintain objectivity and present the facts without unnecessary emotions. The article describes only the first months of the war (manuscript received: 16 May 2022), so this topic requires further study. However, despite this chronological limitation, this article will become a valuable source of information for historians of science in the future.