Renowned Russian scientist sentenced to 14 years for treason

Anatolij Maslov, a 77-year-old scientist, has been sentenced to 14 years in a high-security penal colony. Until now, the man was a lecturer at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk. The court in St. Petersburg, as with several other scientists from this institution, found him guilty of treason.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, potential traitors have been sought all over Russia. Among them, artists, scientists, and writers are most commonly found. What connects them is their overwhelming opposition to the current Kremlin policies.

According to the independent Russian portal Mediazona, Anatolij Maslov stood before the court this time. At 77 years old, he had been conducting activities at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk for years. However, he will exchange lecture halls for a 14-year stint in a high-security penal colony.

The court in St. Petersburg stated that this was treason in favour of China. He allegedly provided them with classified data related to supersonic speeds. However, the man did not admit to any charges against him.

As the scientist’s wife informed, his health significantly worsened during the trial. The situation was so severe that he even had a heart attack. However, this did not deter the Russian authorities, who a few months ago transferred another scientist from the same university from the hospital to jail. He died after three days.

The trial of Anatolij Maslov was already the fourth involving a scientist from the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk. Like the 77-year-old, the remaining three also faced charges of treason. Not even a special open letter from the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences employees helped them.

The employees of the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in their open letter in 2023 emphasized that the materials of all three criminal cases were classified. However, from open sources, they know that the actions for which their colleagues may spend the rest of their lives in prison reflecting what is considered a standard mandatory element of competitive and solid scientific work worldwide, including in Russia – these were lectures at seminars and international conferences, publishing articles in renowned journals, and participating in international scientific projects.