A growing security concern has emerged at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) as Russian scientists continue to gain access to advanced research despite official sanctions. According to a Forbes investigation by energy and security expert Ariel Cohen, Russian participation at CERN persists through the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR), a Moscow-area organization with long-standing ties to the Russian government and intelligence agencies.

Although CERN expelled Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the collaboration loophole with JINR has allowed Russian physicists to maintain involvement in sensitive projects. Cohen compares the current situation to the Manhattan Project, emphasizing that even under strict wartime secrecy, espionage occurred—and today, the risks may be even greater.

Professor Boris Grynyov, Ukraine’s representative at CERN, disclosed that JINR has cooperated with Russian defense contractors between 2010 and 2024, including firms involved in drone, missile, and microelectronics production. Moreover, JINR operates from an FSB-linked facility in Dubna, highlighting the deep integration between Russian scientific and security institutions.

These connections are especially alarming in light of Russia’s updated 2024 nuclear doctrine, which broadens the conditions for nuclear weapon use. The concern extends globally as JINR engages with countries such as North Korea and Iran under Moscow’s recent defense agreements. JINR’s 2025 research plan even lists partnerships with several Iranian organizations tied to that nation’s nuclear program, amplifying fears of technology proliferation.

German lawmaker Peter Beyer has urged international bodies to impose comprehensive sanctions on JINR and its collaborators, arguing that “scientific neutrality” should not shield entities complicit in espionage or weapons development. As tensions rise, the controversy underscores the fragile boundary between peaceful research and strategic exploitation within the world’s scientific institutions.

Читайте більше за посиланням Euromaidan Press