The leadership of St. Petersburg State University (SPbU) fired associate professor at the Institute of History Mikhail Belousov, who wrote that «direct and open approval of rashism is disgusting.» The dismissal order was published on the university's website.
The university justified this decision by Belousov's dissemination of «materials discrediting the conduct of a special military operation by the armed forces of the Russian Federation, as well as materials insulting the memory of those who died in the line of military duty.»
“The behavior of Belousov M.S. violates the moral traditions of the university and generally accepted ethical norms, his actions are incompatible with the high status of a university student and teacher,” the document also says.
The cause of the conflict was the historian’s messages, screenshots of which appeared in public after the news of the death of a St Petersburg University student Fyodor Solomonov in the war in Ukraine. “Belousov is far from alone in his shameful heresy. Many university students openly mocked the death of Fyodor Solomonov,” pro-government telegram channels wrote.
Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Konstantin Mogilevsky called the situation associated with Belousov’s anti-war statements “ugly and intolerable.”
“As a historian, I know that the Faculty of History of St. Petersburg State University is one of the best in our country. Professionals with a civil position work there, people who do not include the small group that staged this provocation,” Mogilevsky added. In his opinion, Belousov and his students «cannot boast of any serious achievements in their studies and scientific activities.»