The Russian Union of Rectors has backed the Kremlin¡¯s official line on Ukraine, supporting what has become an increasingly bloody invasion.

Nine days after Russia¡¯s unprovoked invasion of a sovereign country, the group representing more than 700?rectors and university presidents backed its government¡¯s version of events.

¡°This is Russia¡¯s decision to finally end the eight-year confrontation between Ukraine and Donbas, achieve the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine, and thereby protect itself from growing military threats,¡±?, echoing propaganda used by the Kremlin to justify what it calls a ¡°special operation¡± in Ukraine.

In a step further, they urge?support for Russian troops and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

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¡°It is very important in these days to support our country, our army, which defends our security, to support our president, who, perhaps, made the most difficult, hard-won but necessary decision in his life,¡± they write.

The rectors say it is important to carry out their ¡°main duty¡±, to conduct education and ¡°to instil patriotism in young people, the desire to help the motherland¡±.

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The letter includes more than 180 signatories, with heads of top Russian institutions, such as Moscow State University and Saint Petersburg State University, among them.

Its publication came a day after the International Criminal Court¡¯s top prosecutor said it would investigate Russia¡¯s role in possible crimes against humanity in Ukraine, and as Russian?forces intensified their shelling of civilian and residential areas.?

The rectors¡¯ statement triggered condemnation from academic leaders in Europe.

Rik van de Walle, rector of Ghent University, called the letter ¡°extremely problematic¡±, although he was incredulous that all of its signatories would genuinely support it.

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¡°I cannot believe this is the sincere opinion of all rectors involved. Yet at the same time we cannot accept statements like this,¡± he said, adding?that the rectors¡¯ position ¡°cannot but lead to the suspension of cooperation with the institutions concerned¡±.

On 7 March, the European University Association ¨C the continent¡¯s largest?university lobby ¨C announced it had whose heads had signed the letter, which?it said was ¡°diametrically opposed to the European values that they committed to when joining EUA¡±.??

Many universities have already cut ties with their Russian counterparts. On 3 March,?the European Commission said?it would suspend any planned grants for Russian institutions under the European Union¡¯s Horizon Europe research programme and would not ¡°engage into further cooperation projects with Russian entities¡±.

For any institutions who?remain on the fence or supportive of continued collaboration with Russia, the?rectors¡¯ stance?does little to help?their defence.?

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¡°Cooperating with universities or other institutions that, forced or not, place themselves or are placed at the service of the Russian president, the Russian regime and/or the Russian army, is simply impossible,¡± said Professor van de Walle.

pola.lem@timeshighereducation.com