Private Russian science foundation to be dissolved

Nature : The first private science-funding organization in Russia, the Dynasty Foundation, is being shut down. The decision was made at a board meeting on 5 July after the Ministry of Justice designated the foundation a “foreign agent.” The designation has to do with nongovernmental organizations that receive foreign funding and are perceived to be involved in some form of “political activities.” The Dynasty Foundation was created in 2002 by Dmitry Zimin to develop fundamental scientific research and education, award grants, support conferences, fund summer schools, and organize other programs. It’s the largest private funder of physics research in Russia. The situation has sparked outrage from Russian scientists, three of whom wrote a letter to Nature voicing their concern that the closing down of the Dynasty Foundation will have “dire immediate and long-term consequences for Russia’s science.”