The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has severed its long-standing ties with a research institute it helped found outside Moscow, citing the ongoing military offensive by Russia in Ukraine. In a statement released on Feb. 25, MIT said it has notified the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) that the decade-long relationship between the two schools “must end” because of “unacceptable military actions against Ukraine by the Russian government.” “This step is a rejection of the actions of the Russian government in Ukraine,” reads the statement posted to MIT’s Skoltech program website. “We take it with deep regret because of our great respect for the Russian people and our profound appreciation for the contributions of the many extraordinary Russian colleagues we have worked with.” The Massachusetts institution has been working with the government-funded Skolkovo Foundation since 2010, in the wake of then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to the United …