Due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, around 20% of Ukrainian researchers have been displaced or forced to work remotely, and roughly 30% of the country’s research infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science. Despite wartime conditions, many scientists continue their work, supported by international initiatives and partnerships with institutions abroad, including in Poland. Participation in multi-country research consortia is especially important for Ukrainian teams.
UNESCO’s 2024 report, Analysis of war damage to the Ukrainian science sector and its consequences, estimates the cost of rebuilding Ukraine’s research infrastructure at over USD 1.26 billion. In the two years since February 2022, 1,443 buildings and laboratories and 750 pieces of scientific equipment have been damaged or destroyed.
“Many buildings of our institute—particularly in cities like Kharkiv, Odesa, and Sumy—are completely destroyed. They must be rebuilt or replaced with entirely new facilities. We also need to seek opportunities to acquire new equipment,” says Dr. Anatolii Zagorodnyi, President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
The worst damage is concentrated in the east, especially in major regional cities such as Sumy, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, located dozens of kilometers from the front line.
“Powerful research centers that once operated in Donetsk have been inaccessible to Ukrainian scientists for many years. The farther west you go, the safer it is—at least in theory,” notes Mateusz Białas, Director of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS) office in Kyiv.
According to the Ministry of Education and Science, about 30% of research infrastructure has been destroyed, and around 20% of scientists have had to relocate. Approximately 80% of researchers continue their work despite the conflict.
“Conducting research during war is possible. We are still working in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa—even in Kharkiv, a fantastic city,” stresses Dr. Zagorodnyi.
“Ukrainian science is in relatively good shape but needs continuous support. Air-raid sirens sound several times a day in cities, especially near the front; Kyiv has them, too. By regulation, researchers must stop work and go to shelters. It’s particularly difficult in winter, with power outages and unheated institutes,” adds Białas.
International Collaboration: A Lifeline
“International cooperation is crucial for Ukrainian science—first, because modern science cannot function without it, and second, because Ukraine’s research sector has suffered greatly in wartime,” says Prof. Andrzej Szeptycki, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education. “Financial support, mobility opportunities, participation in projects, and access to infrastructure outside Ukraine are key.”
Poland has been engaged from the outset:
“At first we cut all scientific ties with the Russian Federation and launched numerous support programs for Ukrainian researchers, students, and universities—run by individual Polish universities and by state agencies such as NAWA, NCR, NCBR, and also the Polish Academy of Sciences,” Prof. Szeptycki explains. “Next, we shifted from support for departures to institution-to-institution cooperation between Poland and Ukraine. Brain circulation, not brain drain, is better for both countries. The following stage is moving beyond bilateral formats to broader, including Polish–German–Ukrainian, initiatives.”
On July 11 at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, the International Coalition on Science, Research and Innovation in Ukraine was launched—a joint initiative of Italy’s Ministry of Universities and Research, Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science, UNESCO, and the European Commission. It aims to support Ukrainian scientists, stimulate reconstruction and modernization, and strengthen the role of research and innovation in rebuilding the country. Poland’s participation will enable experience-sharing and cooperation on international projects involving Ukraine, access to unique initiatives, and the use of Ukraine’s scientific potential, particularly in dual-use sectors. On September 12 in Warsaw, a Polish–German–Ukrainian meeting titled “Ukrainian science in transition – partnership for reform and reconstruction” featured Denys Kurbatov, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Education and Science, who outlined the coalition’s concept and Ukraine’s priority needs.
“Four issues matter most now,” says Prof. Szeptycki. “(1) Further reform of Ukraine’s science system to align with contemporary Western standards; (2) mobility for students and researchers, constrained in part by wartime conditions; (3) the fullest possible participation in international—especially European—programs like Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe; and (4) supporting Ukrainian science in preparing for the country’s post-war reconstruction.”
“Ukrainian science has no future without international cooperation. We have numerous inter-university agreements and collaborate with leading research centers such as CERN and DESY,” adds Dr. Zagorodnyi.
Poland’s Academy of Sciences: Programs and Impact
A 2024 PAS report notes roughly PLN 40 million allocated to support Ukrainian researchers, mostly from foreign sponsors. 355 Ukrainian scientists received individual assistance, and 700+ participated in PAS-run in-person and online trainings.
“PAS supports not only individual researchers but also local institutions—helping them build capacity for international grants and partnerships. Study visits to Poland, including Warsaw, and short research stays at PAS institutes help establish contacts and better understand Poland’s research system,” says Prof. Szeptycki. “Ukraine also has strong competencies—in engineering fields, and now in military sciences—so international partners benefit from this cooperation, too.”
“Ukrainian science needs financial support due to low public funding, as well as help building competencies and partnerships. Above all, institutions should not be afraid to cooperate with Ukrainian counterparts,” emphasizes Białas. “In the near term, Ukrainian institutions are focused on building joint consortia and applying together for funding.”
Deputy Minister Kurbatov reported that in 2024 Ukraine allocated 0.37% of GDP to research. Białas notes that part of Ukraine’s research funding targets technologies that can help win the war, while support for environmental protection, social research, and migration studies will be essential for reconstruction.
“Priority future projects in PAS–Ukraine cooperation will address post-traumatic stress, mental health, and trauma from wartime experiences. Poland hosts over a million Ukrainian refugees, and more than eight million people are internally displaced within Ukraine—many with war-related stress,” says Białas.
Launched in 2022, Long-Term Programs (LTPs) fund two- to three-year projects by teams of up to five researchers, whose members can remain in Ukraine. One LTP focuses on PTSD research.
“The warzone stretches over 1,000 km, with contaminated soils and extensive destruction. Sooner or later people will return—scientists will be crucial in informing reconstruction decisions,” Białas adds.
Psychological trauma and PTSD among soldiers, civilians, refugees, and internally displaced persons may be among Ukraine’s most serious challenges. According to PAS citing WHO, nearly 10 million Ukrainians may face mental-health problems or already do. Meeting this challenge will depend, among other things, on rigorous research and analysis.
