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On May 19, at 6:00 a.m., masked security forces raided the homes of staff of the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IP RAS). About ten people were taken in for questioning by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. T-invariant discussed the details of this new “philosophers’ case” with Yulia Sineokaya, a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and former deputy director of IP RAS, who is now labeled a “foreign agent” in Russia and serves as president of the Independent Institute of Philosophy (IPHI) in Paris.

The Old to Prison, the Young to the Exit: The Final Verdict in the Hypersonic Scientists Case

In May 2026, a court handed down sentences to physicists Valery Zvegintsev and Vladislav Galkin. This marked the end of the hypersonic scientists case — the largest criminal prosecution of researchers in modern Russia. Over the course of 11 years, 11 physicists fell victim to the security services. Three of them died while under investigation, and five essentially received death sentences. T-invariant reviews the outcome of the hypersonic scientists case and examines what convicted researchers must do to demonstrate their utility to a state that hands them prison terms incompatible with life.

Education as a Weapon: How Russia Forces Ethnic Displacement in Occupied Territories

Russia’s neocolonial policies in the occupied territories of Ukraine target the education system first: schools and universities have become primary tools for coercion and identity erasure. This is the core finding of a recent study by the Ukrainian outlet Realnaya Gazeta, which details how the Kremlin carries out ethnic displacement across multiple levels. Journalist Ksenia Turkova spoke with Andrey Dikhtarenko, editor-in-chief of Realnaya Gazeta, to discuss the report for T-invariant.

Chronicle of the Persecution of Scientists No. 32

T-invariant releases the latest issue of the Chronicle of the Persecution of Scientists: No. 32, dated April 30, 2026.  At the end of April, the Russian government agreed to revise and soften the draft law on artificial intelligence published by the Ministry of Digital Development in March. The bill was restrictive and prohibitive in nature, and its enforcement, especially in its original version, could have led to numerous prosecutions of developers, companies, and even users by the FSB. T-invariant wrote about this in its commentary. However, active criticism of the bill led the government to retreat.

Brains Won’t Drain Themselves. What’s Wrong with the U.S. Bill for Scientists from Russia

A bill pending in the U.S. House of Representatives aims to counter Russian innovation and protect certain Russian scientists. T‑invariant examines whether it will ever pass and, if so, who might actually benefit from it.

“Sovereign” AI on Chinese Chips. Putin’s Daughter Completes the Creation of a Closed AI Infrastructure at MSU

The Director of the MSU Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Katerina Tikhonova, now oversees a significant portion of AI education, research, and development in Russia. The Kremlin has long been working to consolidate this industry into a single system, and “control over it” can only be entrusted to a select few. However, these technologies are sovereign only on paper and in officials’ speeches. In reality, Russia remains heavily dependent on global AI. T-invariant examines how Katerina Tikhonova, Oleg Deripaska, and VTB Bank are involved in the process, why a “unified AI ecosystem” was built on Sparrow Hills.

Punished for a Prompt: How the State Plans to Control AI in Russia

Russia is currently discussing a draft law on the regulation of artificial intelligence (the AI Law), which may come into force on September 1, 2027. Major market players and legal experts are taking part in the discussion, but it is already clear that the central issue is not technological development. It is control over what users ask and what machines answer. T-invariant explains how the state intends to effectively legalize censorship in the AI sphere, how this mechanism would work, and who may end up taking the blame.

RASA Statement in Support of Professor Alexander Kabanov

The Russian-American Science Association (RASA) strongly condemns the decision of the Russian authorities to declare our colleague, former president of RASA, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and an outstanding chemist professor Alexander Kabanov a “foreign agent.” This step is yet another manifestation of a policy pursued by the Russian leadership that runs against the interests of its own people. It is, however, incapable of stopping the scientific and humanistic work of people like Alexander Kabanov.

From Boutique Research Institute to Science Strike Force: How Igor Shuvalov Is Relaunching Skoltech

The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology has a new rector, a new Kremlin-appointed overseer, and a new mission. The university has recently been headed by Academician Yulia Gorbunova, who now faces the challenge of putting Skoltech on a new track — no longer as Russia’s premier globally oriented research center, but as a key pillar of “technological sovereignty.” Why Skoltech was folded into VEB.RF and what new objectives have been set for it — T-invariant takes a closer look.

“Their Wings Have Been Clipped.” What DAAD’s Designation as an “Undesirable” Organization Means

Russia’s Justice Ministry has designated the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) an “undesirable” organization. It is not the first organization of this kind to end up on the ministry’s list: the Central European University, the British Council, the International Baccalaureate, EF Education First, and others were added earlier. T-invariant examines how blacklisting one of the world’s most successful academic exchange programs deprives hundreds of Russian students and researchers of opportunities to study and work in Germany, dismantles scientific ties built over decades, and pushes Russian science even deeper into isolation.

Chapayevsk and Void. A Medical Workers’ Association in a Small Russian City Was Labeled a Foreign Agent Ten Years Ago. How Did the Story End?

In 2016, the Association of Medical Workers of Chapayevsk (Samara Region) was labeled a “foreign agent.” The reason was research grants from U.S. organizations for medical studies that the NGO was conducting jointly with scientists from Harvard University. The organization was later dissolved. It was the first, but far from the last, case in which long-term medical research programs carried out jointly with major Western scientific centers were shut down to serve political interests. T-invariant examines what research was conducted in Chapayevsk and whether the scientists managed to complete their work.

Gamer Under Contract. The State Offers Students a New Role Model

A new way to recruit students into the Unmanned Systems Troops is by encouraging volunteers through the example of their peers. T-invariant reviewed university and college websites and social media pages, along with regional media reports, and compiled the most telling cases. University rectors are required to report on their results at regular meetings with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko. But the quota for each institution – at least 2% of the total student body – is hard to meet.

Chronicle of the Persecution of Scientists No. 31

T-invariant publishes the latest press release in the Chronicle of the Persecution of Scientists series: No. 31, dated March 31, 2026. Two more leading American universities – the University of California, Berkeley, and Tufts University – have been declared undesirable organizations. This has already caused alarm not only among scholars, but also among IT engineers. The situation is becoming increasingly complicated: developers are finding themselves in a zone of legal uncertainty.

Social Networks: Mirror or Lever? Ekaterina Zhuravskaya on How the X Algorithm Irreversibly Shifts Views to the Right

Seven weeks in X’s (formerly Twitter) algorithmic feed — and American users’ political views permanently shifted to the right; turning the algorithm off reversed almost none of them. These are the results of an independent study conducted in 2023. One of its authors, Paris School of Economics professor Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, explained in an interview with T-invariant why the algorithm proved to be such a powerful tool for shaping opinions.

Havana Syndrome — Forever? The Psychogenic Roots, Microwave Mirage, Laser Optoacoustic Impact — What’s Going On

The year 2026 marks the tenth anniversary of Havana Syndrome — a mysterious psychophysiological disorder caused divide among scientists. While Trump speaks of a secret “Discombobulator,” and intelligence agencies quietly purchase devices allegedly capable of mimicking Havana Syndrome, new theories about its origin are emerging. T-invariant examined why the microwave hypothesis has hit a dead end, how the laser version could help resolve it, and what the consequences will be if this does not happen.

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