Russia Declares DAAD an Undesirable Organization: End of German Academic Cooperation

Russian authorities have taken the drastic decision to declare the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) an undesirable organization. This decision results in the immediate suspension of the DAAD office in Moscow and the DWIH facility. This is another step in eliminating foreign institutions that support education and science in Russia. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described this action as an attack on academic freedom and a clear signal of the Kremlin's drive towards self-isolation. The German government demands the withdrawal of these restrictions, emphasizing that they are completely unfounded and harm young people seeking knowledge. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) was founded in 1925 and is the world's largest organization supporting international university cooperation and the exchange of students and researchers. For Russian students and researchers, this status means the criminalization of any contact with DAAD. Currently, there are about 200 scholarship holders from Russia in Germany, whose legal situation has become uncertain due to the risk of repression upon returning to their homeland. Experts point out that this is the final chapter of a multi-year presence of German foundations in the country, which have been systematically removed from the Russian public sphere since 2022. „Russia is consciously creating an atmosphere of fear and isolation. Contacts with foreign countries are increasingly being criminalized.” — Johann Wadephul Academic cooperation between the two countries, which survived even the most difficult periods of the Cold War, is now on the verge of a complete breakdown. DWIH in Moscow was a key point of contact for innovators from both states, and its closure shuts down the last channels of official dialogue. 200 — Russian scholarship holders are currently studying in Germany