The ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022 has been a center of the debate for the last eight months worldwide. With Russia and Ukraine being the top destinations for aspiring doctors across the globe for more than a decade, the safety of international students studying MBBS in Russia and Ukraine began to be questioned. The term ‘war’ continuously hitting the news headlines developed a strong sense of fear in the minds of the parents who have sent their children for MBBS studies to these countries. With the two of the best countries for MBBS studies in abroad now sharing a hostile relationship, the future of medical education is now being contemplated worldwide. 

After the news of 20,000 Indian students, including MBBS students, returning from war-torn Ukraine to India broke the internet, several questions loomed over the futures of these aspiring doctors who had to discontinue their medical education in Ukraine for safety reasons. Ultimately, this breaking news posed a question mark on the safety and medical careers of the MBBS students in Russia as well. 

Impact of Russia-Ukraine crisis on MBBS students in Russia

Russia has always topped the list of the best countries for MBBS abroad for Indian students for years. All thanks to the cordial and friendly relationship shared by Russia and India for the last 75 years. With Indian students constituting a significant proportion of international students at Russian medical universities, similar apprehensions and panic have been noticed in the minds of the students and their parents who are currently studying or soon to join medical universities in Russia for their medical education.  As a matter of fact, the situation between Russia and Ukraine has no negative impact on MBBS students in Russia and they are leading their regular lives as usual. There is no disruption caused by the Russia-Ukraine situation in MBBS studies of Indian students in Russia. 

Rus Education, a representative and admission partner of several top medical universities in Russia, promises safe living conditions to the Indian students aspiring to study MBBS in Russia. The overseas medical education facilitator has the confirmation of the normal and secure living conditions of students from its associated top medical universities in Russia. The students in these universities are leading a normal life and no impact of the situation could be felt by them. 

Furthermore, the distressed medical students of Ukrainian medical universities who have taken transfer in Russian medical universities and are now resuming their medical studies in Russia also confirmed the same. The medical universities in Russia that are accepting transfer students from Ukraine such as Orenburg State Medical University, Mari State University, etc. are giving them a positive learning environment where they can forget their past and move ahead towards a bright medical future.

Case Study: Impact of Rus-Ukrainian conflict on medical students in Russia

I, Ayushi Sharma, a 2-year Indian MBBS student at one of the top medical universities of Russia, was in Russia at the time of the crisis in late February. As Russia and Ukraine were not on good terms since 2014 after the invasion of Crimea by Russia, it was difficult to predict the consequences of the war. When this news reached my home in India, my entire family felt devastated. I was alone in Russia and no one could anticipate what would happen next. 

Initially, there was an environment of panic after the news of the war broke out, but eventually, everything was under control and life in Russia continued like normal. As per the news reports, the conflict was more political and military in nature and the Russian government took all the measures of safety of its citizens as well as the MBBS students in Russia like me from other countries. 

I am happily and dedicatedly pursuing my medical studies in Russia just like it was before 24th February 2022. Medical aspirants who are about to begin their MBBS in Russia can fearlessly board on their flights to pursue their dreams of becoming world-class doctors from reputed medical universities in Russia.