"There are serious reasons to hope that this isn't the end." Renowned scientist Mikhail Gelfand was fired from the Institute of Problems of Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"Meanwhile, as of May 7th, I'm no longer an employee of the Institute of Industrial and Practical Problems (IPPI)—under Article 288 of the Russian Labor Code. There are serious reasons to hope this isn't the end. I won't tell you what they are yet—it's not the time—so stock up on more popcorn :-)"- wrote Mikhail Gelfand in his telegram channel.
The head of the Bioinformatics Educational and Scientific Center at the Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems (IITP RAS) learned of his dismissal from colleagues, as the management notified him via an outdated email address.
Previously, the Institute's management reported Gelfand was told that if he didn't resign, he would be fired under the law. According to Gelfand, he was "about the 15th person forced out by the new management" and very much hoped that "this whole situation will be resolved not as a situation with Gelfand, but as a salvation for the institute as a whole."
At the end of April, an employee of the Institute of Physics and Mathematics, a well-known popularizer of science Alexander Panchin published a video titled “Naked Party in Russian Science,” which talks about how the new leadership is actually destroys a unique institute. "It all feels as if Shvonder and Klim Chugunkin burst into the very heart of NIICHAVO and set up a 'livestock farm' there."" Panchin wrote in the introduction to his video.
Mikhail Gelfand is a Doctor of Biological Sciences, a Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, and a member of the prestigious European Academy. He is a professor and vice president for biomedical research at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. He is the most cited scientist at the Institute of Problems of Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences and one of the most cited scientists in Russia.