Publication Ethics

The editorial policy of the Ukrainian Journal of Remote Sensing is based on the principles of academic integrity, transparency, and accountability. It complies with international standards of scientific publishing in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

Responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief of the journal:

  • decides which of the submitted articles should be published;
  • is guided by the editorial policy of the journal and constrained by legal requirements regarding defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism;
  • may consult with other editors or reviewers when deciding on publication.

The Editor-in-Chief has full authority over the editorial content. The publisher (center or academy) cannot interfere in the decision to accept or reject specific articles.

Responsibilities of the Authors:

  • submit for consideration only original manuscripts that have not been previously published, are an exclusive submission, and are not under consideration by other publications;
  • ensure the reliability and accuracy of the research results;
  • properly cite the sources used;
  • include as co-authors only persons who have made a significant scientific contribution;
  • declare potential conflicts of interest;
  • immediately notify the editorial office of any significant errors discovered after submission or publication.

Responsibilities of the Editors:

  • make decisions solely based on scientific quality, compliance with the journal's profile, and adherence to academic standards;
  • ensure the confidentiality of submitted materials;
  • prevent conflicts of interest;
  • take measures to identify and prevent publication misconduct;
  • promptly and transparently respond to ethical violations.

Responsibilities of the Reviewers:

  • provide objective, reasoned, and timely evaluations;
  • adhere to the principle of confidentiality;
  • report any conflicts of interest;
  • inform the editorial office of possible violations of academic integrity.

AUTHORSHIP OF A SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATION

Authorship of a scientific publication should reflect the true contribution of each individual to the conduct of the study and the preparation of the manuscript.

Authorship is limited to those who have met all of the following conditions:

  • made a significant intellectual contribution to the concept or design of the study, or the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data;
  • participated in drafting the text or critically revising it for important intellectual content;
  • approved the final version of the manuscript;
  • agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

The following practices are unacceptable:

  • Gift (honorary) authorship: inclusion of individuals who have not made a significant scientific contribution;
  • Coercive authorship: forced inclusion of individuals as authors;
  • Ghost authorship: exclusion of individuals who have made a significant contribution.

In the event of authorship disputes, the editorial board may require written confirmation of the contribution of each co-author and/or contact the relevant institution.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

The Ukrainian Journal of Remote Sensing adheres to international standards of publication ethics, in particular those developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal's conflict-of-interest policy requires the mandatory disclosure of any relationships or connections that may affect the objectivity of the research.

Basic requirements for participants:

For authors:

  • Authors are required to declare any potential conflict of interest (financial, personal, or professional) when submitting a manuscript.
  • If there is no conflict, the manuscript (usually before the reference list) should include the following statement: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”
  • All sources of financial support for the research (grants, sponsorships) must be clearly indicated.

For reviewers:

  • A reviewer must notify the editorial office and decline to review the manuscript if a conflict of interest exists due to competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with any of the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the papers.

For editors:

  • Editors should make decisions solely based on the scientific quality and relevance of the work, completely independent of commercial or personal interests.

Typical examples of conflicts of interest in the field of remote sensing:

  • Receiving funding from companies that develop the satellite equipment or software analyzed in the article.
  • Direct competition between research groups.
  • Holding a patent for a technology described in the publication.

Information on declared conflicts of interest is published alongside the article when applicable. The corresponding author, on behalf of all co-authors, must fill out and sign the Declaration of Conflict of Interest (link to the website).

POLICY ON RESTRICTIONS REGARDING COOPERATION WITH AFFILIATES OF AGGRESSOR STATES

In accordance with the Resolution of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine No. 22 dated January 24, 2024, “On the inadmissibility of participation in the preparation of publication products by scientists affiliated with institutions of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus,” the editorial board of the Ukrainian Journal of Remote Sensing implements the following restrictions.

Manuscripts will not be accepted for consideration or publication if:

  • The author or at least one of the co-authors has an affiliation (primary or part-time employment/study) with institutions, organizations, or government bodies of the Russian Federation (RF) or the Republic of Belarus (RB).
  • The research presented in the article was conducted with financial support (grants, state orders) from institutions of the RF or RB.

Authors must guarantee the absence of the aforementioned connections across the entire author team at the time of manuscript submission. The discovery of connections with aggressor states at any stage of the editorial process constitutes grounds for the immediate rejection of the article without the right to resubmit.

The editorial board strongly recommends refraining from citing sources authored by scientists affiliated with institutions in the RF and RB, as well as from referencing Russian scientific journals. Citing such works promotes the aggressor state's science and artificially inflates its ranking in global scientometric databases, which is ethically unacceptable.

ETHICS OF RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMANS AND ANIMALS

If a study involves human or animal subjects, the authors must adhere to the ethical principles of conducting scientific research. The editorial board reserves the right to request proof of compliance with ethical procedures and the provision of appropriate permits. If ethical violations are detected, the manuscript may be rejected or retracted in accordance with the journal's policy and COPE recommendations.

  1. Research involving humans
    The fundamental principles are the minimization of harm and voluntary participation.
    Principles:
    • Informed consent: All participants must provide written consent to participate in the study and for the results to be published.
    • Confidentiality: Any personal data (names, identifiable facial photographs, exact residential coordinates) must be anonymized.
    • Committee approval: Where necessary, the study must be approved by the relevant institutional review board or ethics committee of the institution where it was conducted. The name of the committee and the protocol number must be stated in the article.
  2. Animal Research
    The principles are based on the 3Rs concept (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement):
    • Replacement: Use of alternative methods (e.g., modeling) whenever possible.
    • Reduction: Using the minimum number of animals necessary to achieve statistical reliability.
    • Refinement: Minimizing pain, stress, and suffering of animals during the experiment.
    • Compliance with legislation: The work must comply with the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Animals from Cruelty” or international standards (e.g., Directive 2010/63/EU).
  3. Manuscript Requirements
    If a study involves human or animal subjects, the "Materials and Methods" section must include
    • Confirmation that the study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards.
    • Information regarding the obtainment of informed consent from participants.
    • The name of the institutional body that approved the study protocol.

Important: The editorial board reserves the right to reject an article if there are reasonable doubts about the ethical and humane treatment of subjects in the experiments conducted, regardless of the scientific value of the results.