Category: Russia

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Students from St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPbGASU) won prizes at the All-Russian Dictation in English.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

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On November 11, the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, together with Kazan Federal University (KFU), held the All-Russian Dictation in Foreign Languages. The Department of Intercultural Communication at SPbGASU is the official regional venue for the project. The All-Russian Dictation in Foreign Languages is held annually among students of higher, secondary, and general education institutions. In 2025, 41,245 students from higher, secondary vocational, and general education institutions participated in the dictation.

The dictation was held for the tenth time at the initiative of the Institute of International Relations, History, and Oriental Studies at Kazan Federal University (KFU) in conjunction with the Department of Youth Policy at Kazan Federal University. The main goals of the event were to motivate students to study foreign languages, improve literacy, and enhance their proficiency in foreign languages. This year, the dictation was prepared in four languages: English, German, French, and Spanish.

The All-Russian Dictation in Foreign Languages is a unique opportunity to test your listening and writing skills in a foreign language.

In 2025, the dictation became an important part of the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The text was based on the personal memoirs of Faina Lazarevna Ratner, a distinguished graduate and professor at Kazan University, about the war and post-war period. The dictation text was prepared by faculty from the Institute of International Relations, History, and Oriental Studies at Kazan Federal University.

SPbGASU students participated in the English language dictation for the fourth time. This year, 73 students participated.

The winners of the English language dictation at SPbGASU were first- and second-year students Denis Nazarov, Maxim Klochko, Klara Bakenova, Karolina Vashkevich, Varvara Gorbunova, Amina Karavardanyan, Viktor Bondarev, and Daria Karaulova.

All dictation participants received electronic certificates of participation, and the winners and runners-up received electronic diplomas.

We congratulate our students on their excellent English language skills, and thank the faculty of the Intercultural Communication Department at SPbGASU for their assistance with the dictation!

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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A plane made an emergency landing in Almaty due to the death of a passenger.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Almaty, December 26 (Xinhua) — A Lufthansa flight from Munich to Beijing made an emergency landing at Almaty Airport on Friday morning due to the death of one of the passengers on board, Kazinform reported, citing the Kazakh Aviation Administration.

The pilots reportedly made the decision to make an emergency landing after the passenger lost consciousness. Airport medical services and a city ambulance were quickly dispatched to the plane.

They determined that the passenger died during the flight. The plane refueled in Almaty and departed for its destination at 7:56 AM.

The Transport Police Department announced that a criminal investigation has been opened into the incident. "The preliminary cause of death is acute heart failure. The person who died suddenly is a foreign citizen," law enforcement officials reported.

An investigation is currently underway. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the arrest of a woman suspected of plotting a terrorist attack against a Defense Ministry officer.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Moscow, December 26 /Xinhua/ — Officers from the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation detained an 18-year-old girl in Stavropol who was deceived by telephone scammers and was planning a terrorist attack against a Defense Ministry officer.

"In Stavropol, the illegal activity of a Russian citizen, a resident of the Krasnodar Territory born in 2007, was prevented. She, on orders from the Kyiv regime's special services, was preparing a terrorist attack against a serviceman of the Russian Ministry of Defense," the service's Public Relations Center (PRC) reported.

According to the FSB, the suspect intended to attach a homemade explosive device equivalent to 400 grams of TNT, obtained from Ukrainian intelligence services, to a vehicle parked near a military unit. She was caught red-handed while attempting to carry out her plan.

"It has been established that the suspect fell under the influence of telephone scammers in December of this year, who persuaded her to commit a terrorist attack under the false threat of criminal prosecution," the Center for Public Opinion stated in a statement.

On December 25, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that a series of terrorist attacks planned by Ukrainian intelligence services in the Kaluga region had been prevented. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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China urges Japan to reconsider its history of aggression

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Beijing, December 26 (Xinhua) — China calls on Japan to properly examine and analyze its history of aggression, and to demonstrate remorse for war crimes and respect for the victims through concrete actions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday.

The Chinese diplomat made this statement at a regular departmental press conference after the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently proposed that Japan build a temple on its territory to commemorate the victims of Japanese militarism, thereby repenting for its war crimes. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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Rosneft has identified the best mentors for 2025.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The company announced the results of the "Best Mentor 2025" corporate competition. This year, a record 13,858 mentors from 101 subsidiaries participated. Based on the results of the competitive selection, 40 of Rosneft's best mentors and 16 subsidiaries—the leaders of the corporate integrated rating—were identified.

Rosneft's mentoring system is an important tool for accumulating and sharing professional knowledge, skills, and experience, and for engaging young workers and specialists in the corporate culture.

The competition is held annually in two stages. During the selection stage, the best mentors—226 blue-collar mentors and 241 young professional mentors—were identified at the companies. During the second stage, a ranking of the best mentors was compiled, taking into account each competitor's performance assessment.

The effectiveness of the mentoring system in subsidiaries was assessed based on a set of criteria in six business areas: Exploration and Production, Oil Refining and Petrochemicals, Internal Services, Corporate Services, Petroleum Product Supply, and Shipbuilding and Ship Repair.

A gala awards ceremony for the competition finalists was held in Moscow. They also participated in training on the use of artificial intelligence tools, mentoring skills, teamwork, and the exchange of best current practices.

Mentoring is the foundation for the transfer of professional experience, adaptation, and retention of young employees in the workplace. Mentors help recent graduates take their first steps in the profession and set a personal example of responsible work ethic. Furthermore, by teaching young people, mentors also hone their own professional and management skills.

Rosneft's enterprises implement comprehensive programs that combine the development of expert competencies and the development of teamwork skills. They actively utilize the resources of corporate training centers, equipped with modern methodological facilities and training grounds.

The company pays special attention to working with young professionals who participate in research activities with the support of experienced mentors. Annual scientific and technical conference of young specialists and the initiatives of the Councils of Young Professionals create a development environment for young people.

Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft December 26, 2025

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"Box of Courage": Polytechnic University Gifts Children a New Year's Miracle

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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Polytechnic students congratulated children undergoing treatment in the surgical department of the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Phthisiopulmonology on the upcoming holiday. This initiative has been held at the university for four years now, as it's always a pleasure to bring joy to children in need.

More than ten "boxes of courage" were sent to the children. Over the course of several weeks, caring Polytechnic staff and students brought toys, books, puzzles, coloring books, pencils, markers, play dough, and much more to the collection points. The gifts were for all ages, as both toddlers and adults are undergoing treatment. Everyone was able to find something they loved. In addition to the gifts, every child received sweets.

Father Frost distributed gifts in the wards, and the remaining ones were placed in the medical offices. This helps children feel calmer during procedures and gives them courage.

"I always participate in such events. I want children to never cry or get sick. There are no other people's children; they are all ours. I believe such events are important and necessary for both adults and children. But, again, I would like doctors, especially pediatricians, to have as little work as possible. Positive emotions always have a positive effect on mood and instill confidence, especially in children," noted Svetlana Sharova, Leading HR Specialist in the HR Department.

In addition to Father Frost, gifts were distributed by the Public Relations Department, the Director of the Higher School of Power Engineering and the head of the System Engineering student design bureau, Alena Aleshina, and Polytechnic University hockey players—IFCST postgraduate student Yaroslav Abornev and IPMEiT master's student Evgeny Poltanov.

The staff of the SPbPU Human Resources Directorate collected the most gifts, becoming the campaign's record-breakers.

"I think this is a wonderful initiative! The number of gifts clearly shows that we have caring people at our university, ready to give others positive emotions and support during difficult times. Since one of the boxes is always located near our office, we see how quickly they fill up. "Children who receive these gifts will continue to believe in miracles and will receive the positive emotions they need for a speedy recovery," shared Karina Rachenko, Head of Human Resources.

Ekaterina Borodina, Head of the Department for Academic and Teaching Staff, commented on the importance of this campaign: "It's very important for us to help people, to not pass by, and to not remain indifferent to each other. The Box of Courage is a wonderful opportunity to support children, give them small joys, and bring a smile to their faces. Children value attention and belief in miracles! We're always happy to be part of a great, good cause."

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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National security issues were discussed at the Polytechnic University

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The Polytechnic University held its traditional annual legal forum, POLYLEX. This year, the forum was timed to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the Northern Sea Route's development. The key event was the plenary session of the 11th All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference with International Participation, "Current Issues of Ensuring National Security."

Polytechnicians, representatives of law enforcement agencies and the judicial system, legislative and executive authorities at all levels, the real sector of the economy, and the scientific community of the CIS gathered in the Polytechnic's Main Building.

Opening the meeting, Dmitry Mokhorov, Director of the Higher School of Law and STE, emphasized: "The Polytechnic University has historically fostered legal education, inextricably linked to national security issues. As Maxim Pasholikov, Vice-Rector for Information, Youth Policy, and Security at SPbPU, noted at Lawyer's Day in the White Hall, a close relationship between engineers and lawyers is crucial at all times. And here, the Polytechnic University is ahead of the curve, advancing the trend of high-quality, cutting-edge education."

Ivan Mushket, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the IPA CIS Council, conveyed welcoming remarks from Secretary General Dmitry Kobitsky to the event participants and specifically highlighted the role of the Polytechnic University and the scientific discourses held within its walls in the development of modern legal science.

Alexey Zinchuk, a member of the 7th St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly, noted the importance and necessity of annual legal events: the "Problems of Law in Modern Russia" conference and the POLYLEX Polytechnic Legal Forum, for developing students—future lawyers—as professionals who will be responsible for the development of our country.

Cybersecurity was the focus of the plenary session. Sberbank representatives Natalia Eroshenko (Head of Corporate Business and Government Relations at the Legal Department of Sberbank's North-West Bank) and Pavel Glukhov, Head of Retail Business Protection, addressed the topic. The experts presented a report titled "Challenging Transactions Influenced by Fraudsters."

Also speaking at the conference were Alexander Smirnov, Head of the Forensic Science Department of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Lipetsk Region, and Vasilina Brusentseva, Associate Professor of the Department of Civil Law and Procedure at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (Lipetsk Branch). Nikita Yakovlev, Head of the Department of Criminal and Civil Law at Lipetsk State Technical University, presented a report titled "Cybersecurity of Minors: Modern Threats and Effective Protection."

Speakers from Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Belarus joined via video link.

Vladimir Mikhailov, Senior Prosecutor of the Criminal and Judicial Department of the Leningrad Region Prosecutor's Office, addressed cybersecurity issues and shared the prosecutor's office's best practices in this area. He also cited several successful cases based on collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the scientific community to apprehend criminals.

This year's special guests were Diana Zholudeva, Pavel Skakun, Darya Vashko, Alexander Belov, and Alexey Chumovitsky, representatives of the Scientific and Practical Center of the State Forensic Examination Committee of the Republic of Belarus. They shared their experience in developing forensic examination in Belarus and praised the work of the Polytechnic University in developing forensic science activities through the Higher School of Law and Forensic Technical Examination. They outlined further plans for collaboration, joint publications, and development of a methodological framework.

In addition to the plenary session, other important events were held at the university: a scientific and practical conference on "Counteracting Corruption," a student and school conference on "The Constitution—the Foundation of the State's Legal System," master classes on forensic expertise in law enforcement, and a moot court.

"POLYLEX is gaining momentum every year," noted event participants. "It's no longer just a small-scale legal forum at the Polytechnic University, but a significant international event in its own right."

The forum featured an exhibition of scientific, educational, and methodological works on jurisprudence and forensic examination. A collection of abstracts will be published following the forum's results. The best articles will be included in a special issue of the interdisciplinary scientific journal "Current Problems of Science and Practice" (RSCI).

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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The first internship for teachers in local government bodies of St. Petersburg has concluded at the Polytechnic University.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

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In December, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University completed a pilot project to provide internships for teachers in local government bodies. "Open Municipality: Best Practices in St. Petersburg."

The internship program was implemented jointly with the Council of Municipalities of St. Petersburg, which celebrated its 20th anniversary on December 17. The long-standing collaboration between the Council and the Polytechnic University is aimed at developing the human resources potential of municipal services, implementing modern management practices, and improving the quality of training for local government specialists.

The purpose of the internship was to improve and enhance the professional skills of teachers in the field of local government, as well as to integrate current municipal management practices into the university's educational process.

As part of the program, participants studied the theoretical foundations of local self-government in the Russian Federation and St. Petersburg, including the regulatory and financial aspects of local government activities. They analyzed the practices of St. Petersburg municipalities in the areas of public improvement, public relations, interdepartmental collaboration, the use of information and analytical technologies, and the development of leisure, sports, and educational initiatives.

The event was attended by teachers of the Higher School of Public and Municipal Administration of the Institute of Meteorology and Technology, as well as heads of municipalities and representatives of the Council of Municipalities of St. Petersburg, including: Deputy Executive Director of the Council of Municipalities of St. Petersburg Yulia Slav, Head of the MO "Akademicheskoe" Igor Pyzhik, Head of the MA MO "Akademicheskoe" Elena Korotkova, Head of the MO "Liteyny Okrug" Pavel Daynyak, Member of the Youth Council of the MO "Liteyny Okrug" Andrey Zaretsky, Head of the Department of Improvement of the MA VMO SPb MO "Polyustrovo" Mikhail Artemenok, Chief Specialist of the Department of Improvement of the MA VMO SPb MO "Polyustrovo" Anton Baranov, Deputy Director of the MKU "Improvement Service" of the MO "Vasilievsky" Anastasia Zakimatova.

The work was conducted using the "World Café" technology. Participants developed solutions to key municipal development issues, such as landscaping, organizing interdepartmental cooperation, and building effective dialogue with the public.

Following the discussions, three comprehensive projects were developed, providing for the full implementation of the principle of subsidiarity, a clearer distribution of powers among government bodies, the creation of a unified information environment with elements of artificial intelligence, the implementation of lean management principles in the activities of local government bodies, and the development of practice-oriented interdisciplinary educational programs in the field of urban management.

The "Open Municipality" project is an important step toward bringing the university closer to real-world management practices. "It's crucial for us that faculty have the opportunity to directly interact with local governments, understand the current needs of their territories, and translate this practical experience into the educational process. This format of collaboration improves the quality of training and develops students' practical understanding of the modern urban governance system," said Maxim Ivanov, IPMEIT Deputy Director for Promising Projects and Youth Policy.

At the end of the event, the participants summarized the results of the pilot internship and agreed on further development of their cooperation. Plans include developing methodological recommendations for key areas of local government activity, implementing joint educational programs, promoting municipal service, and launching the next phase of the project—"Open Municipality 2.0."

Internship participants—HSSU lecturers Yulia Slav, Igor Pyzhik, and Pavel Daynyak—were awarded certificates of completion from the Council of Municipalities of St. Petersburg.

The "Open Municipality" internship has become an effective platform for professional dialogue between representatives of municipalities and the university community. It's important for us not only to share best practices from St. Petersburg's local governments but also to collaborate with the university to develop modern approaches to training specialists for municipal service. I am confident that the results of this internship will find practical application both in the educational process and in the activities of the city's municipalities," noted Yulia Slav, Deputy Executive Director of the Council of Municipalities of St. Petersburg.

By the end of January, the participants will be developing teaching materials for the subjects taught, based on the data obtained during the internship. Real-life cases and best municipal practices will be incorporated into the training of specialists for local governments. A collection of best practices from St. Petersburg municipalities is also planned for publication.

Participating in the "Open Municipality" internship allowed me to gain a fresh perspective on the work of local government in St. Petersburg. Live interaction with municipal leaders, analysis of real-life management cases, and joint project work provided valuable practical insights that will soon be integrated into the educational process. This format of interaction between the university and municipalities makes the training of future specialists more practical and responsive to modern requirements, shared Tamara Selentyeva, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public Administration.

The implementation of the "Open Municipality" project opens new horizons for collaboration between the Polytechnic University and the city's municipalities, strengthens the connection between education and practice, and improves the quality of training for local government personnel.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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Congratulations to the faculty and staff who received their degrees and successfully defended their dissertations in 2025.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

In 2025, a number of SPbGASU faculty and staff successfully defended their doctoral and candidate dissertations. Several members of the university's faculty and administrative staff were awarded new academic degrees. Congratulations and best wishes for continued success in their academic endeavors!

Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science

By Order No. 692 of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science dated July 8, the degree of Doctor of Economics was awarded to Alexander Vasilyevich Kharitonovich, professor in the Department of Construction Management. His dissertation title was "Development of a Methodology for Managing Change in Large Geographically Distributed Economic Systems (using Investment and Construction Complexes as an Example)." The dissertation defense took place on March 27 before Dissertation Council 24.2.339.11, established at the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering.

By Order No. 1101/nk of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated November 24, the degree of Doctor of Engineering Sciences was awarded to Anatoly Ivanovich Osokin, Head of the Department of Geotechnics. The topic of his dissertation was "Conceptual Foundations and Practical Application of the Principles of Scientific and Technical Justification and Support for Underground Construction in Soft Soils." The dissertation defense took place on June 18 before Dissertation Council 24.2.380.04, established at our university.

By Order No. 1101/nk of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia dated November 24, the degree of Doctor of Engineering Sciences was awarded to Daria Mikhailovna Denisikhina, Associate Professor of the Department of Heat, Gas Supply, and Ventilation. Her dissertation title was "Scientific Foundations of Mathematical Modeling of Air Exchange and Air Distribution in Public Buildings." The dissertation defense took place on June 17 before Dissertation Council 24.2.380.03, established at our university.

Awarded the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences

By Order No. 01-17908/001 dated October 14, Artemy Igorevich Taranov, senior lecturer in the Department of Construction Economics and Housing and Utilities, was awarded the degree of Candidate of Sciences in Economics. His dissertation topic was "Ensuring Economic Security for a Construction Organization." The dissertation defense took place on September 12 before the Dissertation Council of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.

By Order No. 1033/nk of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia dated October 23, the degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences was awarded to Denis Sergeevich Orlov, senior lecturer in the Department of Ground Transport and Technological Machines. The topic of his dissertation was "A Method for Calculating the Parameters of Hydropneumatic Shock Absorbers in Transport and Technological Machines." The dissertation defense took place on May 27 before Dissertation Council 24.2.380.05, established at our university.

By Order 1195/nk of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated December 12, the degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences was awarded to Yuri Nikolaevich Zgoda, a Category II specialist at the Digital Competencies Educational Center. His dissertation topic was "Research and Development of High-Performance Algorithms for Calculating Thin-Walled Shell Structures." The dissertation defense took place on September 24 before Dissertation Council 24.2.387.06 at the Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI."

Successfully defended dissertations

Yaroslav Vladimirovich Vasiliev, Associate Professor in the Department of Ground Transport and Technological Machines, successfully defended his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Engineering Sciences this year. His dissertation topic was "Scientific Foundations for Ensuring the Effectiveness of Road Transport Expertise and Expert Prevention of Accidents Involving Pedestrians." The defense took place on October 28th before Dissertation Council 24.2.380.05, established at our university.

Defended dissertations for the degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences:

Alexander Sergeevich Dmitriev, director of the “Smart Work” testing ground, assistant of the department of technosphere safety (dissertation topic “Development of a methodology for managing changes in large geographically distributed economic systems (using the example of investment and construction complexes)”, defense took place on November 26 in the dissertation council 24.2.361.02 on the basis of the Volga State Technological University);
Alena Andreevna Vedernikova, and. O. Head of the Department of Information and Mathematical Modeling Technologies (the topic of the dissertation is “Development of a method for calculating pipe-concrete structural elements at the limit and beyond stages of work”, the defense took place on December 2 at the dissertation council 24.2.380.01 at our university);
Alina Vitalievna Kvashuk, senior lecturer of the Department of Geotechnics (theme of the dissertation is “The influence of pollution of sandy soils with petroleum products on the condition of the foundations of structures”, the defense took place on December 9 in the dissertation council 24.2.380.04 on the basis of our university);
Ivan Borisovich Bashmakov, senior lecturer at the Department of Geotechnics (dissertation topic – “The influence of weak water-saturated silty-clayey soils on pit fencing taking into account excess pore pressures”, the defense took place on December 9 in the dissertation council 24.2.380.04 on the basis of our university);
Victoria Igorevna Tkachenko, assistant at the department of technology of building materials and metrology (the topic of the dissertation is “Modifier of cement composites based on nanocellulose”, the defense took place on December 15 at the dissertation council 24.2.380.04 at our university);
Sergey Aleksandrovich Cherevko, senior lecturer at the Department of Technology of Building Materials and Metrology (the topic of the dissertation is “Modifier of building mixtures based on airborne lime”, the defense took place on December 15 at the dissertation council 24.2.380.04 at our university);
Elizaveta Rostislavovna Magdina, assistant at the department of forensic examinations (theme of the dissertation is “Method for assessing the trafficability of wheeled transport-technological vehicles”, the defense took place on December 18 in the dissertation council 24.2.380.05 on the basis of our university).

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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RUDN University scientists have identified AI "hallucinations" when diagnosing mental disorders.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia

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Researchers from the RUDN University Faculty of Artificial Intelligence conducted a large-scale study that uncovered systematic errors in large-scale language models (LLMs) used to diagnose depression from text. This work, conducted jointly with colleagues from AIRI, the Federal Research Center for Control and Management of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Systematic Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and the Moscow Branch of the International Association of Zoological Research (MBZUAI), not only identifies the problem but also lays the foundation for the development of more reliable and secure tools for detecting depression and anxiety.

"Our research is an important step toward trusted AI in medicine. We don't simply point out the shortcomings of AI tools; we propose approaches to overcoming them. The key challenge today is not blind trust in algorithms, but their integration into physician workflows as a proven and understandable decision-support tool. Patient safety and understanding the limitations of this technology are our absolute priority," noted Anton Poddubsky, Dean of the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence at RUDN University.

The main value of the study is its detailed comparison of existing large-scale language models (LLMs), as well as methods for their use and retraining for the tasks of detecting depression and anxiety from text, and an analysis of AI errors and "hallucinations" in these tasks with the participation of psychology experts. The work of the RUDN University scientists received recognition and was presented at the highly regarded international conference "Empirical Methods in Natural Language Processing" (EMNLP). We spoke with the authors of the article to learn how the idea for the study came about, what AI "hallucinations" they identified, and the prospects for further development of the research.

How did the idea for research on this topic arise and why is it relevant and important?

In recent years, there has been growing interest in text-based mental health diagnostics and the use of AI in this field, as well as in the application of LLM in medicine in general. However, most studies rely on English-language data and ML models; comprehensive comparisons for the Russian language have not yet been conducted. This prompted us to explore LLM and other machine learning models for detecting depression and anxiety from text. We compared various models for both tasks and demonstrated which ones perform best in each case. We also conducted additional experiments to evaluate the quality of LLM generation from the perspective of expert psychologists. It turned out that, at this stage, LLMs produce answers of low quality. Specifically, in one experiment, we used LLM not only to determine the presence or absence of depression in a text author but also to generate an explanation for why the model reached this conclusion. It was in this experiment that we established that the explanations provided by modern models contain a significant number of errors from an expert perspective.

What is the main danger of such errors?

The danger lies in the fact that LLMs can produce unfounded or false conclusions ("hallucinations") that appear plausible to the end user. Such errors are difficult to detect without expert assistance, but they can lead to misinterpretation of depression symptoms.

What causes of AI errors have you identified? What is it about mental health conversations that so confuses even the most advanced language models?

Clinical psychologists analyzed the LLM responses and identified errors from an expert perspective. We identified six main types of errors: tautology, unfounded generalizations, false conclusions, confabulations, misrepresentation of medical concepts of depression, and incomplete listing of its symptoms. It's worth noting that, from a machine learning perspective, all of these errors can be described as "hallucinations," but in psychology-related tasks, a more precise categorization is needed. A characteristic of the texts used to detect depression is the difficulty of interpreting them. People often describe their condition indirectly, using metaphors, and text does not always directly reflect signs of mental disorders. Furthermore, the task of detecting depression from text is challenging for non-specialized models, as most of them are not trained on psychological or medical data.

What are the prospects for the development of this research?

The next step could be specialized retraining of LLMs on large datasets for depression and anxiety detection. The current experiments used a relatively small amount of data, which could limit the final quality of the models.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.