He was not only an outstanding physicist, but also a moral compass for an entire generation, becoming one of the main voices of conscience and freedom in the late 1980s.

⌛The story of Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov is unique: one of the creators of the Soviet thermonuclear weapon later became one of the world’s most prominent advocates of disarmament, human rights, and гуманист values. Realizing that scientific progress without morality could lead humanity to catastrophe, Sakharov consciously chose the path of serving humanity.

For his principles, he paid a high price — enduring pressure, public persecution, and years of exile in Gorky. He openly condemned the war in Afghanistan and consistently emphasized that international security is impossible without respect for human rights and freedoms.

At the First Congress of People’s Deputies, Sakharov became one of the symbols of an era of change. He presented his own draft Constitution, in which the rights and dignity of the individual took precedence over the interests of the state. Even today, these ideas remain strikingly relevant.

📢Sometimes I find myself wondering what Andrei Dmitrievich would say if he saw what is happening today. Most likely, it would pain him deeply to witness once again the destruction of the principles of freedom and humanism to which he devoted his entire life. And there is little doubt that, if he lived in Russia today, he too would quickly be labeled a “foreign agent” and silenced.

This is also reflected in the treatment of initiatives dedicated to preserving his memory and legacy: the Sakharov Center was declared a “foreign agent” and later liquidated, while the Andrei Sakharov Foundation was designated an “undesirable organization.”

Sakharov dreamed of a country in which the state exists for the individual, not the individual for the state.

🛡His life became proof that truth cannot be destroyed completely. Despite persecution, isolation, and pressure, his ideas continued to live on, inspiring people to fight for freedom, dignity, and the right to remain themselves.

Today, the best way to honor his memory is to preserve faith in the value of human life, freedom, and human dignity — even when defending these principles becomes especially difficult.