The procedure for the retraction of published scientific articles is based on the international recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the internal policies of the collection.

The purpose of retracting a scientific article is to correct the literature and ensure the integrity of the published material, as well as to inform readers that the published article contains serious flaws or erroneous data that cannot be trusted. The invalidity of the identified data or information may result from accidental (including technical) errors or deliberate misconduct (for example, if the author(s) submit the same material to multiple journals, or in cases of plagiarism and failure to disclose conflicts of interest that could have influenced the recommendation for publication).

Key Grounds for Retraction:

• Detection of plagiarism or significant improper borrowing;

• Duplicate publication (redundancy) in multiple journals;

• Data fabrication or falsification;

• Violation of ethical norms (e.g., lack of consent for research involving humans/animals);

• Unauthorized use of third-party personal data;

• Other serious violations that undermine the credibility of the article.

The Editorial Board does not view the retraction of articles as a punishment for authors; rather, it considers it a mechanism to correct erroneous scientific data and alert the scientific community to the unreliability of previously obtained and published results.

Retraction Procedure

1. Initiation of Retraction: A formal request for retraction may be submitted by the author(s) (voluntary retraction), the Editorial Board, third parties (readers, other researchers), or other publishing houses or organizations (e.g., if plagiarism is detected via specialized services or duplicate publication is identified).

2. Submission of Application: A written statement (in electronic or paper form) must be submitted to the Editorial Board, specifying the author(s) and the title of the article, providing a clear and reasoned justification for the retraction along with supporting evidence (screenshots, links to sources, plagiarism reports, etc.). In the case of a voluntary retraction, the submission must be signed by all co-authors.

3. Review by the Editorial Board:

   • Preliminary review: Up to 30 days.

   • Author’s response: The author(s) are given 4 weeks to provide explanations.

   • Investigation: If necessary, a dedicated commission is established or additional reviewers are involved; investigation and re-evaluation of the article may take up to 30 days.

4. Final Decision: The Editorial Board may issue one of the following:

   • Retraction;

   • Erratum/Correction (for minor errors);

   • Expression of Concern;

   • Refusal to retract (if the violation is unconfirmed or insignificant).

   • The decision is formalized in a dedicated set of minutes of the Editorial Board meeting, stating the date, attendees, expert evaluation (peer review) results, and a reasoned conclusion.

5. Post-Decision Actions: Once the decision is made, information regarding the retraction is posted on the journal’s website. The article may remain on the site but will be marked with a "RETRACTED" watermark including the date of the event; or the title will be changed to "Correction: [Original Title]"; or a notice of correction will be added specifying the reason, the party (organization) that initiated the retraction, the official who made the decision, and the date. Furthermore, notification is sent to all databases where the collection is indexed and stored. As an additional measure, the Editorial Board may impose a ban on future submissions from the author(s) for a specified period.