Accessing the Inaccessible: The Case for Opening Up Russia’s Closed Cities

The selling of weapons-related nuclear knowledge by Russian scientists for economic gain constitutes a threat to US national security. Some estimate that the number of Russian scientists seeking permanent employment abroad constitutes five to ten percent of all researchers who have left the field of science in Russia. Moreover, there is concern that those who have left are "the better minds." The issue of brain drain concerns not only those who move abroad permanently, but those who still reside in Russia and travel abroad to sell their knowledge. Of particular concern to the US is the potential sale of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) knowledge by some. […]

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