**Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Runs for Russian Academy of Sciences**
Mykola Azarov, a former Ukrainian prime minister, has applied to join the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). He is accused of high treason and was expelled from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in June 2022.
Azarov served as prime minister under President Viktor Yanukovych between 2010 and 2014. He now resides in Russia and regularly makes anti-Ukrainian statements on Russian state media channels. In December 2022, Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation completed a pre-trial investigation into Azarov’s high treason case.
The RAS is one of the most prestigious academic institutions in Russia. To join, Azarov would need to be recognized as an expert in his field. However, he has no academic publications or citations, according to eLibrary and Scopus databases. His Hirsch index, a measure of scientific activity, is zero.
**Ukraine’s Reconstruction Needs**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that international donors have allocated nearly $7.4 billion for “priority recovery projects” in 2025. However, this leaves a nearly $10 billion deficit to finance reconstruction projects. The Presidential Office head, Andriy Yermak, said Ukraine has successfully brought back 11 children who had been forcibly taken to Russia.
The Ukrainian government has also launched the DRIVE project, which will provide funding for road and bridge repairs in 19 regions. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said this is part of the country’s recovery efforts after Russian invasion.
**International Reaction**
US Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth will not attend a meeting of Ukraine’s partners next week due to Russia and Belarus being left off the list because of economic sanctions. The US has imposed tariffs on goods from China, the EU, and Ukraine.
The UK is planning to establish a joint European military fund for the purchase of military equipment and weaponry as a means to rearm Europe.