The President of Russia's Academy of Sciences (RAS), Aleksander Sergeyev has tried to keep his organization on even keel during Russia's war with Ukraine. In his balancing act, he has tried to maintain research contacts with foreign scientists that has been hampered by boycotts and sanctions as well as by domestic pressures to cut ties with "unfriendly countries" including in the sciences. He has also warned of a severe brain drain should Russian scientists become convinced that the atmosphere is too repressive within the country.