The Israeli mathematical community is gravely concerned to learn that one of our most esteemed, kindest, and beloved colleagues, 70-year-old Professor Mikhail Volkov of the Ural Federal University, has suddenly lost his job and has been placed under a travel ban.  At the same time, he is facing extremely serious health issues.
 

Professor Volkov is an outstanding mathematician, a world leader in algebra, whose groundbreaking achievements are highly recognized across the mathematical world. His classical results include seminal contributions to semigroup theory, associative algebras, and theoretical computer science. He is known all over the world as a man with hundreds of followers who has brought great honor to Russian mathematics. He is the managing editor of a leading international research journal, Semigroup Forum, published by Springer.
 

Those of us who know Professor Volkov have never heard him speak about politics in any form. Rather, he is known as a man totally dedicated to mathematical research and to educating thousands of Russian students who have contributed to Russian society.
Many Israeli scientists have a strong mathematical collaboration with him for more than 40 years with exchange visits, joint papers, and projects. We note that Professor Volkov is facing serious health issues that may require urgent intervention.

 

We express our deep concern for his health, and we ask for him and his family to have a way to come to Israel before his health deteriorates. Israel is a world-recognized center for advanced technologies that provide full treatment in such cases.  We believe that, despite the existing travel ban, such a humane decision is appropriate considering the international standing, age, and health condition of Professor Volkov.