On 29 October 2025, the guest lecture “Using Science in Propaganda and Stolen Ukrainian Universities in the Russian War against Ukraine” took place online at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (Poland) within the Erasmus+ project “Promoting Academic Freedom in Ukraine” (FreeAc), coordinated by the University of Graz (Austria). This lecture became part of the ongoing series “Ukrainian Voices: Academic Freedom in a Changing World.”
The lecture, delivered by Dr. Oleksii Plastun, Professor at Sumy State University and Scientific Director of the Think Tank “Research of Fakes and Propaganda in Russian Science,” revealed how Russian universities and research institutions have become tools of state propaganda and war. Using real examples from Scopus, Springer, Elsevier, and other publishers, Dr. Plastun showed that hundreds of academic papers falsely list occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia.
He also discussed how international publishers justify these actions by appealing to “neutrality,” and how Russian academia actively supports aggression through fake institutions and war-endorsing statements. The presentation raised questions about ethical responsibility and the need for international academic solidarity with Ukraine.
A video recording of the lecture will soon be available on the project website:
https://www.freeac.eu/ukrainian-voices-guest-lecture-series/
The Ukrainian Voices series, co-organised by the University of Graz and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, aims to highlight Ukrainian research, foster cooperation, and protect academic freedom during wartime.