Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed a gathering of young scientists who won the 2022 Presidential Prize for Science and Innovation, emphasizing the need to safeguard the nation’s critical infrastructure from the threat of an electromagnetic pulse. The president’s remarks underscored a priority that connects national security, technological advancement, and resilience in the face of potential electromagnetic disruptions.
The award was presented to Ivan Fisenko, a researcher with the 12th Central Research Institute (TsNII) of the Russian Ministry of Defense, recognized for work on sensitive defense-related topics. TsNII’s core mission includes examining how nuclear detonation factors can affect weapons systems, military hardware, facilities, and civilian populations. This focus reflects a long-standing interest in understanding and mitigating the effects of high-energy events on strategic assets and everyday life.
According to information from the Ministry of National Defense, the 12th Central Research Institute maintains facilities designed to test weapon prototypes against both natural and man-made electromagnetic environments. These capabilities cover effects from conventional electromagnetic fields to more advanced systems, including those that involve new physical principles and specialized weapons concepts, underscoring ongoing research into both protective measures and potential countermeasures in electromagnetic domains.
Putin’s comment suggested that the state, along with officials at various levels, should formulate a proactive response to these concerns. The dialogue highlighted a public interest in how government policy, science, and industry can collaborate to strengthen national resilience against electromagnetic threats, while ensuring that safety, science, and public communication remain balanced and transparent.
There have also been public presentations that depict the combat use of electromagnetic technologies intended to counter unmanned aircraft systems, illustrating how electromagnetic pulses could disable drones. These illustrative demonstrations raise important questions about the legality, ethics, and strategic implications of employing such technologies in modern warfare and security operations, prompting ongoing discussion among policymakers, researchers, and defense professionals about how best to integrate protections for civilian infrastructure with effective defense capabilities. Attributions: official statements from defense agencies and institutional researchers, and contemporary analyses from defense scholars and policy institutes, cited for context and interpretation.