Sanctions imposed on Russia have disrupted the development of an innovative science and technology center (INTK) in Kaliningrad. “The Baltic Valley is Humantech” is a project initiated by the Baltic Federal University (BFU).
At a press conference, the acting rector of the university, Maxim Demin, admitted that partner companies of the project, such as Sodruzestvo and Avtotor, have begun to reevaluate their operations. Avtotor’s car plant, which formerly assembled BMW and KIA vehicles until February 2022, has switched to producing Chinese electric vehicles. Sodruzjestvo, an agro-industrial holding company with assets in Russia, Belarus, Brazil, and Paraguay, has also altered its logistics operations.
The scientific and technological directions of the INTK were determined by a decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated February 17, 2022, prior to the imposition of sanctions by the European Union due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These directions include: biomedical cellular products, clean energy, and design technologies; highly productive agro- and aquatic farming. Companies that become residents of the INTK will be exempt from income and property taxes for 10 years.
The initiator of creating the innovative scientific and technology center “Baltic Valley – Humantek” is BFU. It has about 11,000 students, four educational clusters, forty-six labs and scientific-educational centers, as well as a science and technology park called Fabrika and an engineering center.
Kaliningrad is a city in Russia and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast. This region is surrounded on all sides by territories of other countries, including Poland and Lithuania.
