UK to provide over Rs 30.18 crore to Ukrainians involved in academic research

In a massive development, the United Kingdom has announced it will provide £3 million (over Rs 30.18 crore) to Ukrainians involved in academic research. The UK Government, amid the heightening tensions between Russia and Ukraine, has announced that Ukrainian nationals involved in academic research will benefit from a £3 million package of support to continue their vital work in the UK.

The statement shared on Sunday reads, "The new Researchers at Risk Fellowship Programme will support Ukrainian researchers fleeing the conflict, as well as those already in the UK who are unable to return home." 

The Fellowships will provide a salary, research, and living costs for up to two years for these researchers, and will be available across all disciplines for postdoctoral researchers or those with equivalent experience. The move comes in order to support the war-inflicted nation in preserving its research ecosystem. 

The UK government has also announced it is "halting funding to all research programmes found to have links to Russian state and institutional collaborators." It further stated that the UK will also stop all ongoing projects where they provide a direct benefit to the Russian regime. The government added that it will also not fund any new collaborative projects with Russia through its research and innovation organisations. 

Michelle Donelan, Minister for Higher and Further Education said, "Our world leading universities have always been underpinned by the core values of freedom and liberty, which is why I know they will support us now in taking action against the Russian regime and their illegal invasion of Ukraine."

"We are asking universities that have not yet done so to review any financial or academic research ties with Russia given the horrors the Kremlin is inflicting on the Ukrainian people," he added. 

Ukraine intelligence chief says Russia may try to split country

Ukraine’s military intelligence chief says that Russia could try to break Ukraine in two. Kyrylo Budanov said in remarks released by the Defense Ministry on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has realized “he can’t swallow the entire country” and would likely try to split the country under “the Korean scenario.” That's a reference to the decades-old division between North and South Korea.

Budanov said that “the occupiers will try to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine.” He pointed to Russian attempts to set up parallel government structures in occupied cities and to bar people from using the Ukrainian currency, the hryvnia. Budanov predicted that Ukrainian resistance will grow into “total” guerrilla warfare, derailing Russia’s attempts.