Valery Smoly, Boris Paton and Vladimir Kuratchenko

From the left to the right: the first raw - Valery Smoly, the vice-Prime Minister, Boris Paton, the president of the Academy of Science(AS) of Ukraine, Vladimir Kuratchenko; the second raw - Vladimir Gorbulin, the Head of the Council of the National Security and Defense, and Vasily Gureev, the Minister of The Industrial Policy on the Government Day in the VR of Ukraine (Tuesday, June 8, 1999). The Council of Ministers information, concerning the condition of the Scientific-technological sphere financing was considered that day. At the same time the 300 representatives of, approximately, 60 Kyiv-based Scientific-Research Institutes and Organizations of AS of Ukraine picketed the VR building. The scientists insist on the State support of Science and appeal the Goverment to pay attention on the critical state of science in Ukraine. Photo by Alexander Lepetukha/ UNIAN