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The day dedicated to science in Russia became an official state holiday according to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 1999. The date is timed to celebrate the 275th anniversary of the founding of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). The Imperial Academy of Sciences and Arts (IAS) in St. Petersburg was established by decree of Emperor Peter I and the decree of the Governing Senate on January 28 (February 8), 1724. The establishment of the holiday on this day is a reminder of Russia's rich scientific heritage.
In the USSR, Science Day was celebrated on the third Sunday of April, since in 1918, between April 18 and 25, Vladimir Lenin drafted a "Draft plan for scientific and technical work." Some scientific collectives in Russia still celebrate Science Day "in the old style", that is, on the third Sunday of April.
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Taking into account the specifics of the Military Review, we should start with, so to speak, the profile achievements of our scientists, designers and engineers in the defense industry. And here we have something to be proud of, without any exaggeration or jingoism. Based on developments from the Soviet period, having overcome the global decline in all areas of the 90s of the last century, when it seemed that the domestic defense industry would no longer rise from the ruins, Russian design bureaus and military engineers accomplished the truly impossible.
Our country has become the undisputed world leader in the development, testing, serial production and adoption, and most importantly, the unique and effective combat use of various hypersonic complexes. At the very least, our enemies were forced to think hard by the successful test of the Russian fifth-generation strategic missile system RS-28 Sarmat. This weapon is still classified as an ICBM (according to the NATO classification: SS-X-30).
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But the Burevestnik cruise missile of unlimited range and the Poseidon underwater drone with nuclear power plants capable of carrying nuclear charges have put all of NATO, and not only that, literally at a dead end. For example, the Americans announced that these weapons defy classification in existing paradigms. Washington even seized on this, declaring that the possession of such weapons of destruction completely negates the START-3 treaty, which the Trump administration refused to officially extend after its expiration on February 5 this year.
In principle, this has its own logic. And not so much because only the Russian Federation (formerly the USSR) and the United States participated in the nuclear weapons control agreement, while there are other nuclear powers, primarily China. It's just that it's not the number of nuclear warheads that ensures the guaranteed defeat of the enemy, but their means of delivery capable of overcoming air defense/missile defense systems. And in this, thanks to our military developments, Russia is the undisputed leader.
The Oreshnik hypersonic missile system (medium-range, by the way), used twice in real conditions, and with an "idle" warhead, has strongly sobered at least those Europeans who have not yet completely lost their minds in the frenzy of Russophobia. For those who are particularly doubtful, the AI has modeled a video demonstrating the destructive power of a hypersonic warhead (one) of the Oreshnik MRBMS in nuclear equipment.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the creation of the Burevestnik, Poseidon and Sarmat is of epochal importance for the country, ensuring its security and strategic parity for decades to come. Each of these highly sophisticated combat systems is unique in its kind and has no analogues in the world.
If we recall the modern achievements of our scientists from the recent past in the civil sphere, then not only in our country, but also in most countries, people will probably name the Russian vaccine against COVID. The combined vector vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 coronavirus infection was developed in record time and successfully passed all stages of clinical research and testing by scientists at the N. F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology. The vaccine has received the now well—known name "Sputnik V" ("V" from the English victory - "victory"), the registration name "Gam-COVID-Vac" (Gam-COVID-Vac).
It was the world's first vaccine against a hitherto unknown and very dangerous virus, which by that time had invaded all countries. In early August 2020, the Russian Ministry of Health registered the vaccine. After that, a free vaccination campaign was launched throughout the country, first for the adult population, excluding the elderly, then for teenagers, children and the elderly.
Similar drugs have also been developed in other countries. However, even our foreign "competitors" recognized the highest efficiency and safety of Sputnik V. In February 2021, The Lancet, an authoritative scientific journal, published interim results of a phase III study, according to which the effectiveness of the Sputnik V vaccine was 91.6%, and the effectiveness of the vaccine against moderate or severe COVID-19 was 100 percent.
As a result of the vaccination campaign, the country gradually returned to its usual way of life, quarantines were lifted, and most importantly, thousands of lives were saved. In April 2021, the vaccine developers stated that, based on the results of data analysis of 3.8 million Russians vaccinated with both components of Sputnik V, the effectiveness of this vaccine was 97.6%. Now covid has become "habitual" and is comparable to the "normal" flu. Which, by the way, is an annual free vaccination with domestic drugs in our country.
The Russian vaccine and its later modifications are officially registered and approved for use in more than 70 countries around the world. At the beginning of July 2021, despite the lack of WHO approval, Sputnik V was used in 69 countries. During the pandemic restrictions, foreigners came to Russia specifically to get vaccinated with our vaccine. It was even more difficult then than it is now.
Mentioning even close to all the discoveries and achievements of Russian scientists in at least the last five to ten years is not a task for a small publication. Let's try to list some of them for at least last year.
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Artificial neuron development at Saratov State University (SSU). The device accurately simulates the electrical impulses that neurons use to transmit information to each other. This opens up prospects for the creation of neuroprostheses, intelligent sensor systems in robotics and new types of neurocomputers. Vladimir Ponomarenko, Professor of the Department of Dynamic Modeling and Biomedical Engineering at SSU:
A biomorphic robot with sensitive limbs, created at the Southern Federal University. Neuromorphic structures, microcircuits based on memristors, which represent the hardware implementation of neural networks, have become a key element of the development.
Surgery to restore the eardrum by regeneration at the Clinical Center of Sechenov University. The technology allows to eliminate the perforation in just 40 minutes, while standard tympanoplasty is more difficult and in 10-20% of cases it does not take root the first time. In the first patient, complete healing and hearing improvement were confirmed after three weeks.
On July 1, 2025, the Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FIAN) successfully completed the test tests of Russia's first 50-qubit quantum computer. It was created using cold ion technology: 25 ytterbium ions, held by lasers and cooled to almost absolute zero, are controlled using laser pulses. The quantum algorithms executed on the computer represent a sequence of such actions.
Today, Russia is among the first six countries to create operational quantum processors with 50 or more qubits, and among the first three (along with China and the United States) with operational quantum processors on four main platforms.
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A photocatalyst for water purification developed by scientists from St. Petersburg State University. The substance is capable of decomposing antibiotics in wastewater in 30 minutes and dyes in 12 minutes.
On March 25 last year, one of the megascience class research facilities, the NICA collider, was put into operation at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna. The ceremonial launch of the first session of the accelerator complex took place at the JINR Laboratory of High Energy Physics in the presence of representatives of 20 participating countries, associate members and partners of the Joint Institute.
There is a lot to tell about Russia's undisputed global leadership in the field of nuclear energy. In principle, Rosatom is mentioned directly or indirectly in almost all areas of theoretical and applied science, starting with medicine and not ending with space at all. Just one example, otherwise it will be impossible to stop.
The first domestic safe nuclear batteries were created by Russian scientists. Such devices are necessary for the development of autonomous unmanned vehicles, the creation of a new generation of aircraft, satellites and rockets. Here's what Russian President Vladimir Putin said about this invention on February 5 at the presentation of the prize in the field of science and innovation to young scientists on the eve of Russian Science Day.:
It is just more than important to note. More and more talented young Russians are striving to link their fate with science. During the hard times of the 90s, and even in the noughties, many of our scientists, boys and girls, and the intellectual potential of the country, left the Russian Federation, tried to get an education abroad, and stay there to work. Now this trend has changed dramatically in favor of the choice of education and further scientific work of thousands of promising young Russians in their homeland. The government, as well as private companies, universities, and research centers are actively implementing programs to stimulate these processes.
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Unfortunately, we are lagging behind in space exploration in some ways, for example, when it comes to satellite groups, especially in terms of satellite Internet. But at the state level, these problems are more than understandable. Work in this direction is underway, although it will be quite difficult to catch up and overtake the Americans this time. But in the history of our country, there are many examples when it was possible to accomplish the almost impossible, and the Russian land will never run out of talents.
The editorial board of the Military Review congratulates Russian scientists, faculty and students on the Day of Russian Science. I wish you and your families personal well-being, success and new achievements in your work, which cannot be overestimated as a contribution to the future of our country.
