Russian researcher Mikhail Verbitskiy Reproduction/Impa The Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (Impa), in Rio de Janeiro, stated this Saturday (13) that one of its teachers, Russian Mikhail Verbitskiy, was arrested in Armenia. According to Impa, authorities detained Verbitskiy at Zvartnots International Airport, in Yerevan, capital of Armenia, last Thursday (11). “According to information obtained so far, Verbitskiy’s detention is based on a Russian wanted list under allegations of a political nature,” Impa reported in a statement. “IMPA formally requests the Armenian authorities to proceed with his immediate release, allowing his safe return to Brazil to continue his academic activities”, he highlighted. Now on g1 “As a cutting-edge scientific institution, Impa reiterates that the free exercise of thought and the safety of its researchers are non-negotiable pillars for the progress of global science.” ✅Click here to follow the g1 RJ channel on WhatsApp Who is Mikhail According to Impa, Mikhail Verbitskiy is “an internationally renowned researcher with fundamental contributions to complex geometry”. Misha, as he is also called, has been part of the Impa faculty since 2017. “In Brazil, teachers play a vital role in training new scientists and advancing excellent mathematical research”, he highlighted. Mikhail has a PhD from Harvard, in the United States, focusing on hyperkähler manifolds — the thesis investigates how to describe and understand the deep structure of certain highly symmetric geometric spaces using sophisticated algebraic tools.