The Future of Science in Russia Could Depend on This Criminal Case in Siberia
In the West, a scientist’s greatest fear might be the rejection of their paper for publication—a frustrating setback but hardly a career-ender. However, for their Russian counterparts, the stakes are dramatically higher and more dangerous. Participation in international conferences can be misconstrued as espionage by security services, potentially leading to treason charges.
The situation has recently taken an even more oppressive turn in Russia, T-invariant reports. For the first time, a scientist is being prosecuted based on the perceived inadequacy of their research findings. This development threatens the scientific community at large.
Oleg Kabov, a prominent physicist who studies evaporation and condensation, has become the focal point of this alarming trend. His career, which included leading a research group at the Free University of Brussels in 2000 before returning to Siberia in 2013, has been marked by significant achievements. His work won several government grants, culminating in the development of an evaporative cooling system for heat-stressed components. This project, completed in 2016, led to five patents and 24 published papers.
However, Kabov’s accomplishments have not shielded him from prosecution. In 2018, the Russian security agency FSB began scrutinising his project’s documentation. Subsequently, the Ministry of Science commissioned a new evaluation by non-specialists in thermophysics, who concluded that the project’s objectives were “not achieved completely.” Their assessment led to Kabov being accused of misappropriating approximately 7.2 million rubles—about a third of the total government grant for the project. The case suggests that unfavourable scientific results, an inherent aspect of research, could lead to criminal charges.
And the charges appear to be rooted in a personal vendetta. A former colleague, who left Kabov’s lab in 2017 to join the FSB, allegedly threatened Kabov after a financial dispute. This former associate’s involvement with the FSB may have significantly influenced the agency’s actions against Kabov.
This case underscores a scary reality for Russian scientists: their vulnerability to state power. The Russian Academy of Sciences, ideally a protective body for its members, has declined to intervene in Kabov’s defence.
Moreover, the essence of scientific inquiry is its exploratory nature, often without guaranteed positive outcomes. Many hypotheses do not pan out, yet they contribute to the advancement of knowledge. If Kabov is found guilty, it could signal a dire future for scientific freedom in Russia, deterring many from pursuing research if it means risking their freedom.
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Elia Kabanov is a science writer covering the past, present and future of technology (@metkere)
Illustration: Elia Kabanov feat. MidJourney. Photo: ESA.