UKRAINE AND THE WORLD IN CONDITIONS OF WAR: THE ROLE OF SCIENTIFIC, PROFESSION AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS
Authors: Chopyak Valentyna , Maksymowych Wolodymyr P. 
Published: June 2023

Dear readers!

We will celebrate the Taras Shevchenko Scientific Society’s 150th anniversary in December. This is the first global Ukrainian union of scientists, the multidisciplinary Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian people, which laid the foundation for shaping and developing Ukrainian science in the world, serving Ukraine and preserving national identity. In addition, February 15, 2023, marked the 125th anniversary of the creation of the Medical Commission and the publication of the “Medical Collection”, which published contributions from medical specialists in Europe and all of Ukraine. This was the first professional organization of physicians and the first edition of their scientific works that disseminated the achievements of Ukrainian medical scientists and practicing physicians globally and advocated for international recognition of Ukrainian medical science. The Ukrainian Medical Society, created in Lviv in 1910, played a significant role in developing a national union of physicians and public health professionals. These two organizations together created the foundations for international recognition of the Ukrainian nation in the field of medicine and its entry into global scientific discourse. Over centuries, Ukraine’s medical scientists and professionals actively represented and continue to advocate for their country worldwide, especially in recent years, which have been a great test for our nation and state.

For nine years, Ukraine has endured the conditions of an imperialistic war and full-scale invasion of our land brought on by the Russian Federation. Thanks to the falsehoods and insidious propaganda of the Russian Federation, from 2014 until early 2022, the world interpreted events in Ukraine in muted colors. Ukraine, at all levels of society and various professional bodies, including medical facilities, warned of future military consequences. During this period, the Moscow-Ukraine war impacted the activities of medical and public health organizations in Ukraine. At all international events, Ukrainian medical scientists and doctors showcased their national professional organizations, set up appropriate displays, actively used Ukrainian symbols, and presented reports and scientific developments specifically focused on the consequences of war, such as military injuries and psychological problems that affect the health of citizens, especially children, and clearly laid the blame at the feet of the enemy – the Russian Federation, which occupied parts of the territory of Ukraine and destroyed peaceful lives of our citizens.

Many conferences devoted to military medicine were held in Ukraine. But the world did not react and remained silent, including medical and scientific organizations. After February 24, 2022, civilized nations of this world realized that the destruction of an entire country and its people by the Russian Empire in the center of Europe is a moral challenge to democratic principles, and such a war can threaten their own security as well.

For the second consecutive year, Ukrainian medical professionals are living in the conditions of a large-scale war with the Russian Federation, which is destroying Ukraine, its children, and its people. Further occupation of Ukrainian territories in the north, south, and east has led to severe consequences: executions of civilians, torture chambers, rape, destruction and theft of people’s homes, destruction of schools, hospitals, and museums, and grain blackmail. Throughout Ukraine’s territory, there has been the bombing of residential buildings, medical facilities, preschool and school institutions, universities, cultural and historical buildings, destruction of bridges, power plants, oil refineries, and other critical infrastructure.

At the end of February and the beginning of March 2022, the scientific community of Ukraine, in general, and the medical community, in particular, turned to the global community with appeals to support Ukraine in the fight against the evil empire and help Ukrainian refugee scientists who were forced to save their families and themselves from the savagery of the Russian onslaught [1]. So, on February 28, 2022, the Ukrainian Association of Immunologists and Allergists issued a video appeal to medical scientists around the world, including the Russian Federation, in the hope that these professionals might exert some influence on their politicians and the military of the Russian Federation, to help stop mass killings of innocent civilians and the destruction of our land and environment [2]. This appeal received the full support of our colleagues around the world, notably the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAAKI), the World Association of Allergists (WAO), the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS), and other professional societies. In contrast, Russian medical scientists proclaimed their approval of the “special military operation” in Ukraine conducted by their state, and university rectors even published an official letter of endorsement [3].

Physicians in many countries supported Ukraine practically and scientifically during this difficult time. For example, on March 10, 2022, the World Medical Association (WMA) and the Standing Committee of Physicians of Europe (CPME) created the Fund for Medical Aid to Ukraine. The first humanitarian medical aid arrived in Ukraine at the end of March 2022, which has continued to this point [4]. The European Commission launched the portal “European Research Area for Ukraine” (ERA4Ukraine). The ERA4Ukraine initiative provides an opportunity to support Ukrainian scientists, including physicians, constantly informing about existing opportunities at the European and national levels regarding grants, jobs, involvement in the implementation of new and ongoing research projects, provision of places to live, fi-nancial assistance, and so on. This aid is provided by 42 European countries. A public group of students and scientists from academic institutions in Europe disseminates information about opportunities for support at the university, national, and international levels for postgraduate students and scientists who are directly associated with academic institutions in Ukraine, including medical ones. The American-Ukrainian Foundation (USUF) from Washington has its representative office in Ukraine and provides targeted assistance based on evaluated and endorsed applications for the support of medical scientists. Science for Ukraine and SAVEUASTARTUP [5] are particularly active in helping scientists and physicians. It is important to attract support from foreign and international organizations for medical scientists who stay and work in Ukraine in the form of grants for research, high-value equipment, restoration of scientific and clinical medical infrastructure, expansion of access to information resources, and support in the publishing of scientific and medical reports.

In this difficult time, the Shevchenko Society intensified its work, particularly the medical commission: it published targeted issues of the “Medical Sciences” journal focusing on topics addressing military medicine, held scientific conferences dedicated to military medicine and medical assistance to war victims, as well as patients with orphan diseases and those with primary immunodeficiencies. An important initiative and successful project of Canadian colleagues helped expand diagnostic opportunities for rheumatological patients and provided them with access to advanced biological therapies in wartime.

During the war, the Federation of Public Medical Associations of Ukraine and the World Federation of Ukrainian Medical Societies joined the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS), the oldest and most influential medical union in the EU, to protect and promote the interests of physicians, to support and popularize the highest standards of medical education and quality of medical aid, which is a very important step on Ukraine’s way to the EU [6].

Several important scientific opportunities were made available for our physicians in various fields. These were supported by international professional organizations and provided the opportunity for free participation of our specialists in European and world conferences and congresses, open access to demonstrations of scientific events, free access to international scientometric databases, free or discounted printing of introductory professional journals, internships of our scientists, and training opportunities for students. Thus, medical libraries of Ukraine were able to provide users with open access to many scientific and informational resources: “BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL,” “SPRINGER NATURE,” “MC-GRAW HILL,” “SCOPUS,” “WEB OF SCIENCE,” “WOLTERS KLUWER,” “THIEME MEDICAL PUBLISHERS,” “EBSCO,” and “CAPSULE.”

We are deeply grateful for our foreign colleagues’ “friendly shoulder” and sincere help to Ukrainian science. But this aid only mitigates the consequences of the savage war perpetrated by the Russian Federation. The primary problem clearly lies with the terrorist regime in the Kremlin, which militarizes all spheres of life, including science, and conducts hybrid information warfare with the whole world through the insidious use of science and medicine. Statements about “science outside of politics” and “science has no borders” are highly misleading because Russian science is working to support this terrible war and constitutes a weapon of this state. Each speech and published article is made “under the flag” of the Russian Federation and aims to demonstrate how they are still members of the international scientific community. Regrettably, this creates the appearance of the scientific community’s acceptance of terrorism and genocide committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine. Scientists are not absolved of responsibility for the actions of the state where they live and work and support it. For Russian leaders, science is a powerful tool for achieving this goal [7]. The ruling elite, other war criminals and terrorists of the Russian state should be tried by special international courts [8], and Russian scientists should be morally and ethically held to account in the global scientific and professional community. It is also absolutely appropriate for countries that profess democracy and freedom to impose scientific sanctions. Moreover, in these circumstances, the sanctioning of scientists is fully compliant with the resolutions of the European Union [9] and the Congress of the United States of America [10].

Ukrainian scientists appeal to the international community to impose sanctions on Russian science [11], [12], [13] because it is in the interests of the Russian Federation to wage a protracted war, and they are successfully employing all possible human and financial resources [14]. The Federation of European Biochemical Societies, European Magnetism Association [15], Journal of Molecular Structure [16], and the Clarivate Company, which manages the Web of Science database, were noted for their worthy actions towards the scientists of the terrorist country – a complete refusal to cooperate with them. The “Open Letter of Ukrainian Scientists and the Diaspora” clearly indicates the actions that must be taken by the civilized scientific community that wants a normal future for our planet:

- not to accept for consideration scientific publications originating from the Russian Federation in any scientific journal or conference proceeding;

- stop all subscriptions made by scientific institutions of the Russian Federation to any scientific literature;

- stop the access of scientific institutions from the Russian Federation to international research infrastructure, equipment, and scientific databases;

- ban the sale of scientific instruments and consumables to the Russian Federation;

- deprive scientific organizations of the Russian Federation and persons associated with them of access to any international funding for scientific research [17].

While this terrible war continues, it is necessary to maintain a united front in the international scientific community. We ask medical scientists to step up in opposition to Russian science, which will encourage a more rapid end to the war. It is in the interests of our common civilization and human values to defeat this empire of evil, which constantly strives to lull the world to sleep [18,19]. Only then can science and medicine solve the global problems of humanity, as was proclaimed by 177 Nobel laureates right after the war began.[20]. We ask every medical scientist in the world to make their choice so that our children and we can all have a civilized future that can enhance humanity’s spiritual and intellectual development.

Glory to Ukraine!