Russian innovation seems poised to continue its gradual decline into obsolescence through neglect. Even if Russia's economy were healthy, it would be an uphill struggle for Russian research and development because of the difficulty of attracting and maintaining talent.
One recent event could very well be marked by history as the proverbial nail in the coffin of Russian research: Dmitry Zimin's Dynasty Foundation was deemed a foreign agent on May 26. Zimin left the country by June 5, and it is uncertain when he will return. The oligarch has long been a supporter, if not the banner carrier, of innovation within Russia. He developed telecommunications firm VimpelCom before the fall of the Soviet Union and brought modernity to Russia during and after the collapse. Zimin was seen as one of the last vestiges still capable of attracting thinkers to the country. Although he has typically held opposing views with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zimin previously had remained unscathed by Kremlin political upheaval.
The decision on whether to officially close the Dynasty Foundation has been delayed while ongoing projects are completed. The organization's funds are small compared to the government's but are far more focused on innovation for the sake of scientific advancement. The monetary loss will be painful, but the loss of support for basic innovation will be devastating.
Technological innovation cannot pause or cease with a singular invention or accomplishment. To remain powerful, scientific progress must always be pushing forward to further technological advancement in many areas. The fall of the Soviet Union left the research community, like the rest of Russia, in a state of upheaval. Funding and direction from the state disappeared, and output dropped rapidly in the early 1990s. Despite some initial recovery, a gradual yet monumental decline in publications began in that decade and extended into the next. A major driving force of innovation — competition with the United States — was gone. Moreover, the pressure on the economy only increased with the financial crisis of 1998, leaving little room in the budget for public funding of research and development. Although there have been attempts to increase funding since 1998, Russia continues to lag behind the United States and many European nations, investing a paltry 1.1 percent of its gross domestic product toward research and development.
