Six hypersonic missiles downed, 3 scientists accused of treason – now nobody wants to do science in Russia

Being a hypersonic missile scientist in Russia is a dangerous job.

Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko examines the remains of the Kinzhal missile. Image credit: Kyiv City State Administration via Wikimedia, CC-BY-4.0

Last Tuesday, the Ukrainian Armed forces downed six Russian hypersonic missiles X-47 (Kh-47) Kinzhal in a single night. But just before that, Kremlin was quick to announce it is investigating three leading scientists in a potential and “very serious” treason case.

It is not yet known what are the exact allegations and what is the theoretically possible connection between these detained specialists and the remarkable accuracy of the Ukrainian air defenses while shooting at these infamous hypersonic missiles. But the scientific community of the Russian Federation is already in shock and uncertainty about their future careers in science and engineering.

The colleagues of the accused researchers already wrote an open letter addressed to the Kremlin, where specialists actively defend their colleagues asserting their innocence, while also voicing their concerns that soon the country will not have anyone to do the same work.

Training mockup of Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic air-to-surface missile mounted on Russian MiG-31K. Image credit: Boevaya mashina via Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 3.0

The letter was published this Monday and was written by colleagues of Anatoly Maslov, Alexander Shiplyuk, and Valery Zvegintsev.

“We know each of them as a patriot and a decent person who is not capable of doing what the investigating authorities suspect them of,” the authors of the letter said.

They also noted that now everybody fears the risk of being arrested just because they published a scientific article or made a report at a conference in the past.

“Even now, the best students refuse to come to work with us, and our best young employees are leaving science,” further commented Russian scientists in their letter.

Remains of the intercepted hypersonic missile Kinzhal X-47. Image credit: Defense Express

The Russian Armed Forces have boasted for a long time that their Kinzhal missiles are impossible to intercept. And the entire world, in fact, believed this is the case. Until Ukraine proved this can be done.

The first report about the possible downing of the X-47 (Kh-47) Kinzhal rocket was announced in the first week of May 2023.

Written by Alius Noreika

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