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Another Russian Researcher on Hypersonic Aircraft Arrested for Spying.

August 25, 2021

Dr. Alexander Leonidovich Kuranov, a prominent researcher in the field of hypersonic aircraft has been arrested and charged with treason. This has happened numerous times in the past few years in Russia in regard to those working in this field of study. There, has as yet, been no signs of treason.

August 25, 2021

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
President of the Russian Federation
23 Ilyinka Street
103132 Moscow,
Russian Federation
Fax: +7-495-9102-134
Twitter: @KremlinRussia

Dear President Putin:

The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.

This communication is regarding the case of Alexander Leonidovich Kuranov. Dr. Kuranov is a prominent researcher on the topic of hypersonic aircraft. He is the general director and chief designer of the Hypersonic Systems Research Institute.

On August 12th, a court ordered his arrest on charges of state treason and placed him in detention until October 9th. He is accused of passing secret information regarding his research to a foreign citizen.

In the past several years, other hypersonic scientists have been imprisoned on similarly murky accusations of high treason. We are concerned that this is a recurring pattern and that Dr. Kuranov has been targeted for his collaborations with other countries. As scientists, we know that international research collaborations are not uncommon and are not signs of treason or wrongdoing. They are also likely to be beneficial to Russian technology.

We write to urge you to ensure that Dr. Kuranov is treated fairly and that legal proceedings held in his case meet international standards for fair trials.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. The Committee will be closely following any developments in this case.

Sincerely,
signatures
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

CC:
Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA
Phone: 1 (202) 647-4000
Twitter: @ABlinken

Sergei Lavrov
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Smolenskiy Bul’var, 32/34,
Moscow 119002
Russian Federation,
Phone: +7 (499) 244-24-69
Fax: +7 (499) 244-91-57
Email: ministry@mid.ru

Anatoly Antonov
Embassy of the Russian Federation
2650 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007 USA
Phone: 1 (202) 298-5700
Fax: 1 (202) 298-5735
Email: rusembusa@mid.ru

John J. Sullivan
U.S. Embassy Moscow
Bolshoi Deviatinsky Pereulok, No. 8
Moscow 121099
Russian Federation
Phone: +7 (495) 728-5000
Fax: +7 (495) 728-5090

Filed Under: Russia Tagged With: Alexander Leonidovich Kuranov

Who We Are

Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Paul H. Plotz, M.D., Washington, DC

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

Astronomy – Arno Penzias, New Enterprises Associates*

Biology – Max E. Gottesman, Columbia University

Chemistry – Zafra Lerman, MIMSAD Inc.

Computer Science – Rachelle Heller, The George Washington University

Computer Science – Jack Minker, University of Maryland, College Park

Engineering – Philip Sarachik, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

Mathematics – Simon Levin, Princeton University

Medical Sciences – J. Joseph Blum, Duke University

Honorary Board Members

Nancy Andrews, Duke University

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deceased), Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser, Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy, University of Pittsburg

David Gross, (2004 Nobel Prize in Physics), Kavil Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara*

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

Walter Kohn (deceased), University of California, Santa Barbara*

James Langer, University of California, Santa Barbara

Peter Lax, New York University

Louis Nirenberg, New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Honorary Board Members

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, (1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine), New England Biolabs*

Myriam Sarachick, City College of New York

Harold Scheraga, Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Steven Weinberg, University of Texas, Austin*

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Rosalyn S. Yalow (deceased), Mount Sinai School of Medicine*

* Nobel laureate

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