URGENT: The Pentagon has declared war on Russian universities. 33 higher education institutions and research institutes are now officially a "threat to US national security."
On July 3, 2026, the U.S. Department of Defense (officially now referred to as the Department of War) published an updated list of foreign scientific and educational organizations that, according to Washington, are engaged in "problematic activities" and pose a threat to the national security of the United States.
This list includes 33 Russian universities, research institutes, and scientific-production organizations. Among them are Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Higher School of Economics, MIPT, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow Aviation Institute, Kurchatov Institute, Skoltech, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Ural Federal University, and more than two dozen other institutions.
In total, the updated list (FY25 Section 1286 List) includes 130 organizations from Russia, China, and Iran. The document was prepared in accordance with Section 1286 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019. Its purpose, as stated by the Pentagon, is to prevent unauthorized technology transfers and to protect the results of research funded by American taxpayers from "exploitation" by foreign states.
What exactly this list means
This is not classic economic sanctions like the SDN list. American citizens and companies are not formally prohibited from communicating with these universities. However, the consequences are quite concrete:
Starting in fiscal year 2026, the U.S. Department of Defense will completely prohibit funding any fundamental research involving organizations on the list (or their employees).
American universities, laboratories, and industrial partners are strongly urged to "exercise strict caution" in any collaboration, funding, or data exchange with the listed institutions.
Scientists affiliated with these organizations risk losing access to federal grants if they do not fully disclose their connections.
In essence, Washington is building a new wall in the scientific sphere: what was once ordinary international academic exchange is now viewed as a potential channel for the leakage of dual-use technologies.
