Category: Санкт-Петербургский политехнический университет Петра Великого

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Representatives from the Russian-Armenian University visited the Polytechnic University to discuss joint work on localizing the course "Fundamentals of Project Activities."

This academic year, with the support of SPbPU, the course is launching at RAU for the third time. In the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, student project activities were implemented primarily according to the Polytechnic University model. However, following last year's results, RAU administration, faculty, and students expressed a desire for localization. With the methodological and instrumental support of SPbPU, changes will be made to both the theoretical and practical courses, as well as the mentoring model. According to representatives of RAU and SPbPU, the request for such changes is a positive signal for the full integration of the course into the core educational process, as well as a catalyst for further student engagement and the development of an attractive and understandable mentor model at the Russian-Armenian University.

Colleagues from RAU and SPbPU also discussed Polytechnic University's experience in developing a university technology entrepreneurship ecosystem, including through the "Boiling Point – Polytechnic" program, as well as the specifics of interaction with industrial partners and entrepreneurship support institutions. They agreed to jointly develop a program for developing technology entrepreneurship at RAU, building on the results of the course's implementation and the existing "Boiling Point – RAU – SPbPU" program.

They also discussed cooperation in developing RAU youth communities with the support of the SPbPU Youth Policy Department. The next planned event is a visit in November by representatives of Polytechnic University youth communities to RAU to discuss the Cooperation Roadmap for 2026.

The meeting was attended by mentors of the "Fundamentals of Project Activities" course from RAU: Ruzanna Ayrapetova, Head of the Department of Educational Policy and Quality Assurance; Ramela Simonyan, Head of the Career Center; Anush Karapetyan, First Assistant to the Rector and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics and Finance; Iveta Stepanyan, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics and Finance; and Liana Petrosyan, Associate Professor in the Department of Russian Language and Professional Communication.

The meeting was attended by SPbPU representatives: Sergey Redko, Director of the Higher School of Project Activity and Industrial Innovation; Anton Ambrazhey, Senior Research Fellow of the International Academic Competence Center "Intellectual Enterprise Technologies" of the Digital Engineering School; Sergey Salkutsan, Director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the Digital Engineering School; Ivan Khlamov, Head of the Youth Policy Department; Artur Kireyev, Acting Director of the Higher School of Technological Entrepreneurship; Inna Seledtsova, Senior Lecturer of the Higher School of Project Activity and Industrial Innovation; Pavel Kozlovsky, Chief Engineer of the Scientific Laboratory "Strategic Development of Engineering Markets"; and representatives of the Polytechnic University youth communities.

During the visit, methodological and substantive changes to the course were approved, and RAU mentors participated in the filming of adapted videos for the "Fundamentals of Project Activities" course, which will be used in the RAU educational process in the spring of the 2025/26 academic year.

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The Tauride Palace hosted the first international scientific and educational congress, "The Intellectual Code of the Commonwealth." Education 4.0: Integration of Science, Technology, and Creativity, bringing together specialists from across the globe to discuss key issues in modern education. The plenary session brought together leading experts—scientists, educators, and practitioners from across the Commonwealth of Independent States. The congress provided a unique opportunity for constructive dialogue, the exchange of best practices, and the development of consolidated solutions.

Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, sent a greeting to the congress participants.

"Together, we are creating a system of knowledge and skills that meets the demands of the times, where creativity coexists with technology, and traditional values coexist with innovation," said Lilia Gumerova, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education, and Culture and Chair of the Standing Commission on Science and Education of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, in a welcoming address by Valentina Matviyenko.

In recent years, significant initiatives have been adopted in the areas of regulating artificial intelligence, distance learning, and the use of digital tools, said Dmitry Kobitsky, Secretary General of the CIS IPA Council and Honorary Professor of SPbPU, in his welcoming remarks.

State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin addressed the participants with a greeting. He expressed confidence that the topics discussed at the congress are important for strengthening international humanitarian cooperation, implementing socially significant projects, and overcoming contemporary challenges. The text of the greeting was read by Kazbek Taysayev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots.

Greetings were sent by CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev and heads of state academic and professional academies of the CIS countries.

Andrey Rudskoy, Rector of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Head of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Chairman of the Expert Council on Science and Education at the IPA CIS, presented expanded information on the "Technological Sovereignty" project at the plenary session. The project creates Russian educational programs to train specialists with deep engineering, social, and logical knowledge, strengthens basic and targeted training, and unites a consortium of universities and businesses, with the possibility for universities to establish joint-stock companies.

The strategy of engineering and technological sovereignty is a direct response to systemic challenges and sanctions pressure, leading to restrictions on the supply of high-tech products, equipment, components, and software, posing a threat to the functioning of entire industries, from aircraft manufacturing to the oil and gas sector. And Russian science is not just one element in this context, but the foundation and driver of the implementation of the strategy of engineering and technological sovereignty. Without a strong scientific foundation, the ability to generate breakthrough ideas, and without an effective system for transferring these ideas into technologies and products, achieving true sovereignty is impossible. Science is ceasing to be simply a field of knowledge production and becoming a strategic resource for national development, Andrei Ivanovich emphasized in his speech.

Under the leadership of Andrey Rudskoy, over 150 faculty and students from the Polytechnic University participated in the congress. Around 40 volunteers from the "Polytechnic Squad" of the Higher School of Law and Technical Education supported the congress events in collaboration with the Secretariat of the IPA CIS and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.

The congress included expert sessions devoted to key aspects of education. The Polytechnic University organized the congress, including the expert session "Anti-Corruption Education in the Paradigm of Modern Education." Keynote speakers included Svetlana Ivanova, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education; Igor Matskevich, Rector of the University of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation; Bakhtiyor Rasulov, Rector of the Andijan State Pedagogical Institute of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Yevgeny Kolenko, Deputy Head of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Violetta Ladutko and Ekaterina Novikova, Deans and Heads of Departments at leading universities in Belarus; Naira Zohrabyan, Dean of the Armenian University; and other representatives of the academic community in the Commonwealth of Independent States countries.

Dmitry Mokhorov, the session moderator and Deputy Chairman of the IPA CIS Expert Council on Science and Education, noted in his speech: "Effective anti-corruption education is an end-to-end and continuous process that is the cornerstone of building a rule-of-law state."

Experts explored new, effective models of anti-corruption education as a system-forming element for fostering a legal culture and building a rule-of-law state. The key focus, according to the specialists, is integrating these approaches into secondary and higher education systems and interactions with law enforcement agencies.

Dmitry Mokhorov presented a brief overview of the activities of the IPA CIS Expert Council on Science and Education, chaired by SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy. The discussion focused on anti-corruption education and the prospects for its development in the CIS.

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The results of the charity marathon, held at the initiative of the Polytechnic University Endowment Fund and dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the legendary Hydrotower, have been announced.

As a result of this campaign, 478,713 rubles were raised from October 15 to 29, 2025. Of this amount, 440,000 rubles went to the "Youth Projects Development" endowment. Income from its management in 2026 will be used to renovate some of the premises in the Polytechnic Tower.

The benefactors include graduates, employees, students, and partners of the Polytechnic University.

The Foundation thanks its donors and announces that special prizes and commemorative gifts will be raffled off among all marathon participants.

Contact information: 7 (812) 591-66-81alumni@spbstu.ru

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The Polytechnic University team performed brilliantly in the St. Petersburg Student Football Cup and confidently reached the final, defeating their opponents one after another.

The final match took place on October 28, where our football players faced the team from the St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design.

The match ended 1-1 in regulation time. The fate of the trophy was decided in a penalty shootout, where the Polytechnicians demonstrated resilience and fortitude, securing victory.

Andrey Ivashnev was named the final's best player. The Black Bears defender scored a key equalizer 10 minutes before the end of regulation time, and in the penalty shootout, he fired a precise shot into the top right corner of the net.

Danil Subbotin also became the star of the penalty shootout, skillfully parrying his opponent's shot.

SPbPU team head coach Stepan Verbitsky noted that the team's success was due to a strong team spirit, self-confidence, and a thorough approach to every aspect of the game. Thanks to this, our players were able to overcome the difficulties of the group stage and reach their peak form precisely when it mattered most.

Photo: Football Federation of Saint Petersburg

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At the St. Petersburg Congress "Professional Education, Science, and Innovation in the 21st Century," a ceremony was held to award the winners of the City Government Prize competition for their diploma projects commissioned by the executive authorities of the Northern Capital.

The awards ceremony was held by Irina Ganus, First Deputy Chair of the Committee on Science and Higher Education of St. Petersburg, and Igor Maksimtsev, Rector of the St. Petersburg State University of Economics.

For the Polytechnic University, participation and victory in such initiatives is a testament to the high level of student preparation, their professional maturity, and the effectiveness of partnerships between science, education, and government agencies. Such projects demonstrate the importance of a practical focus in higher education and the close collaboration between universities and government agencies. When students' theses address real-world development challenges, it becomes more than just an educational milestone, but an investment in the future of St. Petersburg, noted Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Lyudmila Pankova.

78 students from various universities in St. Petersburg received diplomas, 10 of whom represent the Polytechnic University:

Alexander Alexandrov, graduate of the Higher School of Jurisprudence and Forensic Technical Expertise, Scientific Advisor – Associate Professor of the Higher School of Law and Science, Alena Fogel. In his work, he explored the topic: “Regional waste cadastre. Legal regulation, problems and proposals for improvement”;
Ahad Almarzaev, a graduate of the Higher School of Public Administration IPMEiT, scientific advisor – Associate Professor at VShSU Konstantin Shvetsov. His diploma project was devoted to the topic: “The role of the activities of student club associations and student self-government bodies (co-government) of educational organizations located on the territory of St. Petersburg in the system of strategic direction for the development of human capital”;
Nonna Gavrikova, graduate of the Higher School of Production Management IPMEiT, scientific supervisor – senior lecturer at VShPM Vyacheslav Melekhin. Topic of the diploma project: “The potential of the personnel training system for the development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation: opportunities and challenges for St. Petersburg”;
Anna Goloveshkina, a graduate of the Higher School of Service and Trade of the IPMEiT, scientific supervisor – senior lecturer at the Higher School of Science and Technology Victoria Sheleiko. In her thesis, she examined the topic: “Development of a project to determine the most effective method for calculating financing for cultural and leisure institutions according to the type of work “Organization and conduct of cultural events: basic standard costs or individual estimates””;
Anzhelika Istigesheva, graduate of the Higher School of Production Management IPMEiT, scientific supervisor – Associate Professor at the Higher School of Mechanical Engineering Anastasy Klimin. Topic of the diploma project: “Development of the image of a modern school”;
Anastasia Malashchitskaya, graduate of the Higher School of Production Management IPMEiT, scientific supervisor – senior teacher at Vyacheslav Melekhin. Topic of the diploma project: “Study of mechanisms for managing and coordinating projects for the development of the road network”;
Alexandra Portnaya, a graduate of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations, GI, scientific supervisor – Associate Professor at the Higher School of Music and Education Tamara Tarakanova. Her work was aimed at the topic: “Development of the concept of holding a new physical education event”;
Ekaterina Suleymanova, graduate of the Higher School of Public Administration IPMEiT, scientific advisor – Associate Professor at VShSU Natalya Putintseva. Her research covered the topic: “Reforming the housing and communal services industry in St. Petersburg”;
Anastasia Tokmakova, graduate of the Higher School of Production Management IPMEiT, scientific supervisor – Associate Professor at the Higher School of Mechanical Engineering Elena Kiseleva. Topic of the diploma project: “Marketing assessment of promising market segments with identification of priority niches for subjects of the pharmaceutical industry in St. Petersburg”;
Diana Yakimenko, graduate of the Higher School of Production Management IPMEiT, scientific supervisor – Associate Professor at the Higher School of Mechanical Engineering Anna Timofeeva. Topic of the diploma project: “Mechanisms for strengthening the role of St. Petersburg as a center for the formation of Arctic competencies.”

All awarded students received prizes, valuable gifts, and collections of scientific articles published based on the results of research conducted during their final qualifying theses at the request of the St. Petersburg government authorities.

Winning the diploma project competition sponsored by the St. Petersburg Committee for Science and Higher Education is a significant milestone in my professional career. My work, commissioned by the Committee for Transport Infrastructure Development, focused on finding effective mechanisms for managing road projects. Using Tyumen, Surgut, and Nizhnevartovsk as examples, I analyzed how coordination in road network development could be improved. The experience I gained during my internship at the St. Petersburg Directorate for Transport Construction is already helping me apply these insights in practice—I continue to work for this organization now, comments Anastasia Malashchitskaya.

"The final qualifying work is particularly important to me because it was commissioned by the Housing Committee. Working with a real client allowed us to focus the research on solving pressing practical problems, and their requirements and expectations formed the basis for developing proposals," Ekaterina Suleimanova shared.

It's a great honor for me to win the "Students for the City" diploma project competition. This isn't just a personal victory, but confirmation that student work can be useful and significant for the development of St. Petersburg. What makes this competition especially valuable is that all projects were completed based on real assignments from the executive authorities. This means our work has a chance of being implemented. The "Students for the City" competition is a wonderful example of successful collaboration between government, science, and young people. I hope this practice will only expand, opening up new opportunities for future generations of students! Alexandra Portnaya noted.

In November, students will be selected to prepare their final qualifying theses for the executive authorities of St. Petersburg in the 2025/26 academic year. This stage will allow new participants to continue their practice-oriented interaction with government agencies aimed at addressing pressing urban development challenges, as well as to strengthen their skills in project analysis and the implementation of complex initiatives.

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The 21st All-Russian Conference "High-Temperature Plasma Diagnostics" was held in Sochi, bringing together the country's leading specialists in the field of fusion research. Researchers actively participated in the conference. Institute of Physics and Mechanics.

The conference provided a platform for sharing experiences in the development and application of diagnostic methods necessary for the implementation of large-scale projects. Researchers from the Higher School of Fundamental Physics Research, the Higher School of Mechanics and Control Processes, and the Scientific Laboratory for Advanced Methods of Spherical Tokamak Plasma Research presented plasma diagnostic methods developed at the university, as well as the results of comprehensive thermomechanical and electromagnetic modeling of diagnostic systems.

Dmitry Korobko, a postgraduate student at the Higher School of Physics and Technology and a research assistant at the Scientific Laboratory for Advanced Methods of Spherical Tokamak Plasma Research, presented the results of spectroscopic diagnostics of peripheral plasma using neutral helium injection.

Arseniy Tokarev, a graduate student at the Higher School of Physics and Physical Research, presented a paper titled "Ray Tracing Calculation for Doppler Backscatter Diagnostics on the Globus-M2 Tokamak." His paper described the operating principle and features of specialized software developed at SPbPU for analyzing and correctly interpreting Doppler backscatter diagnostic data. It should be noted that In the fall semester of the 2025/26 academic year, Arseniy was awarded a personal scholarship from the B. P. Konstantinov PhysMech Institute.

Postgraduate student and research assistant Kirill Kukushkin, Professor Elizaveta Kaveeva, Professor Vladimir Rozhansky, and Associate Professor Ilya Senichenkov joined the author team of the report "Study of the Formation of a High-Density Region from a Strong Magnetic Field Near the Globus-M2 Tokamak Diverter," presented by Polytechnic University's partner, the A.F. Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute. The report presented the results of a study on the formation of a high-density region from a strong magnetic field near the tokamak's inner divertor.

At the section “Engineering issues of plasma diagnostics” a series of reports were presented by the staff of the Higher School of Microelectronics and Control Systems andPISh "Digital Engineering"Mechanical engineering research focuses on developing methods for analyzing the strength and durability of structures under extreme conditions.

Alexey Novokshenov, Associate Professor at the Higher School of Physics and Control Sciences and Senior Researcher at the Computer Engineering Center, presented a paper titled "Complex Modeling and Optimization of the HFS-Reflectometry Diagnostic System for the ITER Tokamak."

Philipp Shadelko, a research engineer at the Digital Engineering in Nuclear and Fusion Energy Research and Education Center, presented the results of calculations performed for a digital twin of elements of one of ITER's diagnostic ports, which substantiated the operability of the proposed designs.

Viktor Modestov, a leading programmer at the Higher School of Mathematics and Control Sciences, an associate professor at the Higher School of Nuclear and Thermal Energy at the Institute of Economics, and director of the Digital Engineering in Nuclear and Fusion Energy Research and Education Center, presented a paper titled "Ratcheting Effects under High-Temperature Cyclic Loading of ITER Fusion Reactor Diagnostic Components." The paper analyzed the potential for unlimited growth of inelastic strain in the diagnostic system.

Anna Luiza Andreeva, a master's student and engineer at HSE, also presented a paper entitled "Quasi-Power-Free Magnetic Systems with a Strong Field for Plasma Diagnostics and Containment Devices."

Viktor Modestov, Ivan Kiriyenko, and Alexey Kudryavtsev and Alexander Lobachev, research engineers from the Digital Engineering in Nuclear and Fusion Energy Research and Education Center, joined the team of authors for the keynote presentation at the conference, "Achievements in the Development and Production of ITER Diagnostic Equipment at the INP SB RAS."

Learn more about the participation of polytechnics in the conference read on the PhysMech website.

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The final event of the "Healthy Lifestyle Ambassadors 5.0 – Division Race" sports project, dubbed "AtomSlet-2025," took place in the Moscow Region. It was organized by the Atom-Sport Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization for Sports and Health with the support of the Rosatom State Corporation.

The project's main goal is to engage students in the development of the nuclear industry, promote an active and healthy lifestyle, and foster a corporate culture of health among young people.

Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University was represented at the event by the Rosatom Student Community team. The students performed admirably throughout all stages of the competition, demonstrating excellent physical fitness, team spirit, and genuine enthusiasm.

The finals program included several exciting and action-packed challenges. The main test of strength was the "Race with Enterprises"—a dynamic competition where participants had to demonstrate strength, endurance, and teamwork. Equally engaging were the intellectual quizzes and the labyrinth, where logic, erudition, and spatial reasoning were crucial.

Following the competition, the Polytechnic University team took fourth place overall in the race and second place in the intellectual quiz presented by the Rosatom Student Community. Despite missing the podium by just a few points, the students confidently represented the university and proved that energy, mutual support, and belief in the team are more important than any award.

"Atomsport" was incredibly intense and engaging! The venue was truly atmospheric. On the first day, it felt like we were somewhere in the mountains, not the Moscow region. Despite everyone's first experience in this type of competition, our team performed admirably, demonstrating teamwork and genuine fighting spirit. We narrowly missed out on the podium, but we were thrilled to participate! Our team also excelled in the intellectual quizzes—both in the overall standings and in the Rosatom Student Community quiz, where we took a respectable second place. We'll definitely be participating again next time! shared team member and master's student at the School of Nuclear and Thermal Energy, Vladislav Chipsanov.

For the students, this event was more than just a sporting challenge; it was a true celebration of unity, friendship, and energy. The Polytechnic team demonstrated that a healthy lifestyle, passion, and a commitment to self-improvement are more than just words, but a way of life for modern students.

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A delegation from the Graduate School of Cyber-Physical Systems Management at the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity at SPbPU represented Polytechnic University at the 23rd International Personnel Exchange Conference, held in China. The event consisted of two parts: a plenary session in Shanghai and workshops at Harbin University of Engineering.

The plenary session, dedicated to the successes of Chinese universities in organizing international cooperation, brought together several thousand scientists from universities around the world. Nobel laureates and government ministers of the People's Republic of China delivered welcoming remarks and presentations.

The section at Harbin University of Engineering consisted of a seminar on "Digital Platforms." V. V. Potekhin and A. V. Militsyn, representing the Harbin School of Engineering, presented a paper titled "Interactive Method for Diagnosing Industrial Faults Based on Neural Network and Large Language Models," which focused on the future of Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) architecture.

The development of IIoT architecture is linked to the implementation of digital twins, large language models, and the creation of an IIoT platform for modern control systems. Trained on big data using a neural network, the IIoT platform enables optimization of production processes and the implementation of predictive analytics algorithms. The use of large language models enables the formulation of operator instructions in both text and voice. The presentation generated considerable interest, and the experts addressed a variety of issues, including those related to joint grant applications on this topic.

The second part of the visit to Harbin Engineering University focused on the implementation of joint educational programs. Drawing on two years of experience, the partners discussed current issues related to the implementation of the joint undergraduate program in Industrial Artificial Intelligence. Furthermore, agreements were reached and an agreement was drafted on the implementation of joint master's and doctoral programs.

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Polytechnic students can be not only highly skilled engineers but also excellent writers. Irina Butorina is an example of just such a versatile specialist. Irina Viktorovna is the recipient of several literary awards. In 2025, her novel "To Odessa for the May Holidays: A Non-Resort Novel" won the annual national "Book of the Year" competition, established by the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.

Irina Butorina is a professor at the Higher School of Physics and Materials Science at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. She is a metallurgist and specialist in the ecology of metallurgical production. She has published 200 scientific papers. She taught at the Priazovsky State Technical University in Mariupol for 30 years, and has recently worked at SPbPU. She is also a member of the Writers' Union of Russia and the author of 12 published works of fiction, including the trilogy "Caucasian Novel," about the complex relations between Russians and Chechens and the armed conflict between them in the 1990s, as well as a trilogy about the civil war in Ukraine: "To Odessa for the May Holidays," "Blown Up Donbass," and "The Mariupol Tragedy."

Irina Butorina also wrote three lyrical works: "Farewell to an Era," "Hello, It's You," and "Handsome," as well as the novel "Ecological Poem" about the difficult life of an ecologist in an industrial city. She also published travelogues: "Noah's Ark of the 21st Century," about sea cruises, and "Along the Roads of Dreams," about traveling across Europe.

We met with Irina Viktorovna and learned how she manages to combine two seemingly completely different tasks, and much more.

Your novel, "To Odessa for the May Holidays: A Non-Resort Novel," won "Book of the Year" this year in the "Heroes of Our Time" category. Do you remember the moment you learned of the win? What did you feel then—joy, surprise, relief?

"The novel has been working toward this award for 10 long years. I wrote it for the anniversary of the events in Odessa. The first 300 copies of the novel were published by Avtor Publishing House in 2015, and then in 2019, another 200 copies were printed on the Politekh-Press platform by order of Rector Andrey Rudsky. Furthermore, in 2023, the novel was published in the Bashkir republican magazine Vatandash."

Over the years, the novel won two literary competitions. And so, one of the country's most renowned publishing houses, AST, decided to publish 3,000 copies, albeit in a slightly abridged version. AST submitted the novel to the "Book of the Year" literary competition in the "Russian Reconquista" series, where it was among the winners in the "Heroes of Our Time" category.

Of course, every time a novel was published, or when it won a competition, I felt both satisfaction and genuine joy from the recognition of my work.

After success, do you feel like taking a break, or do you dive straight into new writing? What's on your mind and in your heart right now—what are you working on?

"Over the past twenty years, I've written 12 literary works, taking a maximum of two months' break between them, though with a change of subject. After war novels, I write about love or travel, to unwind from the weight of war."

I'm currently working on a collection of lyrical stories called "Listen to Your Heart." I don't know yet where I'll publish it.

Quite a bit of time has passed since the book was published. Has your perspective changed? Do you now view the events and people you wrote about differently?

"The novel about the tragic events in Odessa was written over ten years ago. Its sequels, "Blown Up Donbas" and "The Mariupol Tragedy," have already been published. In them, I not only describe the ongoing clash between the Russian and Ukrainian peoples but also attempt to explain it. The key sentiment I conveyed to my characters is: "War with a now-Nazi Ukraine was inevitable."

The only thing that has changed is that if before I rejoiced at our victories in the North-Eastern Military District, now I watch with pain as the cities that were built before my eyes are destroyed, and the deaths of people who could have lived, created, and loved.

The events in Donbas remain a sore subject for many. How do you view everything that's happening there today? Has your personal attitude changed over the years?

— I can only add one thing to what has been said above: before, like all our people, I believed in a quick victory for Russia, but now, watching how they have been unable to liberate Donbass for almost four years, I do not believe that the war will end soon.

You combine seemingly incompatible fields—technical science and literature. How do the engineer and writer within you coexist? Which wins out more often—logic or inspiration?

Without logic and inspiration, you can't write a scientific article, a textbook, a novel, or a lyrical story. The only difference is that the language must be different. One is understandable to specialists, while another is interesting and accessible to the general public. Readers praise my books for their ease of reading.

I understand that I am not Dostoevsky and I write simply, having inherited the writing style of Remarque and Hemingway, my favorite writers.

— And finally: what would you say to those (perhaps our students) who dream of starting something new—writing a book, changing their field of work or study, taking a risk—but are afraid to take the first step?

"I believe that if you've achieved success in your profession, you should serve it to the end. If not, find the strength to change it."

If you can combine your profession with your passion, then by all means, do it—or at least try it. I dreamed of writing fiction since my youth, even keeping diaries. However, I only found the time and energy to pursue my dream and write about what moved and amazed me outside of my profession after I reached the pinnacle of my metallurgy career and became a doctor of science. That's how my first works of fiction came to be. I love them as much as my scientific papers and articles. In them, I express my personal identity and my perspective on the reality around me.

So, if you have something to say to the world, go ahead! Write and publish it.

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Dear friends!

National Unity Day symbolizes the cohesion of Russian society and reminds us of our shared historical destiny. It is founded on the eternal, traditional Russian spiritual and moral values, including patriotism, creative work, and a commitment to serving the interests of the Fatherland.

On this day, we certainly reflect on how rich our country is in talent. Russia is a great scientific and educational power, confidently striving for technological leadership and serving as a role model for many other countries around the world.

Ambitious projects such as the creation of a network of modern campuses or the Priority 2030 strategic academic leadership program are knitting together our national educational space, while the progressive development of leading scientific schools, as well as the daily work of teachers, embody the idea of intergenerational continuity.

Domestic science and higher education move Russia forward, help our country overcome external challenges, and serve as a source of justifiable national pride.

I sincerely congratulate you on this holiday and wish you health and prosperity!

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