Elections for the President of the NAS of Ukraine – Candidates for the Post: StopCor Launches Public Fact-Checking

This fall, Kyiv will host a momentous event that is important not only for scientists but also for the entire Ukrainian society. From October 6 to 9, 2025, the General Meeting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU) will be held, at which a new president of the Academy will be elected. This institution plays a key role in the implementation of fundamental and applied scientific research on issues of great importance to the state, and is the largest landowner in Ukraine.

The official election calendar has been published on the NAS of Ukraine website.

The electoral campaign is attracting considerable attention, not only due to the influence of the Academy, but also to the numerous scandals that have recently emerged surrounding its activities. In this regard, the StopKor organization has begun monitoring the election process and candidates. We urge everyone who has information about possible abuses or inappropriate behavior of candidates to share the facts via the hotline.

Who is at the head of the Academy?

Currently, the NASU is headed by Anatoliy Hlibovich Zagorodny, a prominent academician and theoretical physicist, who has held this position since October 7, 2020, replacing the long-standing president Boris Paton.

Candidates for the 2025 elections

As of August 27, 2025, two candidates have been registered:

Anatoliy Zagorodny is the current president of the NASU, who is seeking re-election for a second term:
Born in 1951, specializes in theoretical physics.
Author of more than 200 scientific publications, known for his research in the field of plasma physics.
Headed the M.M. Bogolyubov Institute of Theoretical Physics of the NASU of Ukraine.
Bohdan Danylyshyn is an academician of the NASU, an economist, and a statesman:
Born in 1965, Doctor of Economics.
Between 2007 and 2010, he served as the Minister of Economy of Ukraine.
He headed the Council of the National Bank from 2016 to 2020.
Candidatures were submitted to the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences in the summer, with documents accepted from July 25, 2025.

Why are the elections of the National Academy of Sciences under special attention this year?

The Academy of Sciences not only conducts scientific research but also owns significant assets, particularly land plots. Recently, this area has been attracting special attention, as suspicions of non-transparent schemes involving developers have arisen.

For example, journalists revealed the probable involvement of the Academy’s top management in a conspiracy with developers who are trying to use scientific lands for the construction of elite housing. Also in August 2025, an attempt to raid the National Academy of Sciences’ lands in Kyiv was recorded. These circumstances raise questions about the transparency and responsibility of the Academy’s leadership.

Public control as a guarantee of fair elections

StopCor states that the elections at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine should be held most openly and fairly. We will monitor the election campaign, analyze the candidates’ programs, verify the facts of their activities, and publish the results of the monitoring.

We urge everyone who knows the facts of alleged abuses by candidates to contact us via the hotline or come to our public reception.

Only together can we ensure the transparency of the elections and the further development of Ukrainian science, free from corrupt influences.