Article retraction procedure: grounds and procedure

The retraction of a scientific article is an important procedure that enables the content and scope of published material on the journal’s website to be corrected as well as promptly informing readers of any changes. This process may be initiated by the author, a reader or a member of the editorial board.

The grounds for retracting an article may include:

• the discovery that the material has previously been published in another journal;
• the discovery of fabrication or falsification of research data;
• the presence of significant errors affecting the scientific novelty or validity of the results;
• the listing of persons who do not meet the criteria for authorship in accordance with the editorial policy;
• the existence of a conflict of interest or other breaches of publication ethics;
• the inclusion among the co-authors of persons with links to the aggressor state.

The retraction procedure may be initiated by the Editor-in-Chief or upon a written request from the author(s). In the event of voluntary retraction, the corresponding author shall send an official letter to the editorial office’s email address, setting out the reasons for their decision. The editorial office shall review the request and, if approved, carry out the retraction procedure.

In addition, the editorial board has the right to initiate retraction based on an expert opinion or reliable information from authoritative external sources. In such cases, the corresponding author receives an official notification explaining the reasons for the retraction, which is recorded in the minutes of the editorial board meeting.

Once the procedure is complete, the article remains on the journal’s website with the corresponding label “RETRACTED” and the date of retraction. A separate notice of retraction is published.

The author may submit a revised version of the article to replace the original. In such cases, the retraction procedure will be carried out in full and the notice will include a link to the new, updated publication with the relevant revision history.