Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 had a cascading effect on students from India – who were pursuing medical studies in Ukraine.
They had to flee the eastern European country in the aftermath. According to some estimates, about 18,000 students pursuing medical courses in Ukraine returned after the war broke out.
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Since then, Russia has offered to accommodate Indian medical students who were affected. Russian Consul General Oleg Avdeev welcomed them during his visit to Chennai.
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Diwali invite to Indian students
Now, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, extended an invitation to Indian students by calling them an integral part of Ukrainian society.
“Come back when Ukraine wins. You were always an integral part of our society. We want to celebrate Diwali together in the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine where Diwali became a part of the local tradition,” Kuleba told NDTV.
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Mr Kuleba stated that Indian students should return when Ukraine emerges victorious and, in the meantime, asked them to pray for and support the war-hit country in any way possible.
Students’ fate in limbo
Before they could escape the war-torn country, Indian students survived in distressing conditions – by taking shelter in bunkers to be safe from Russian missile attacks. The students were eventually evacuated, but only after a student from Karnataka succumbed to shelling.
Months from then, the fate of these students still hangs in limbo as their educational pursuit has been brought to a standstill. It has left the students with the only option of holding protests or seeking help from authorities.
India’s decision to buy Russian oil ‘inappropriate’
Among various issues, Mr Kuleba commented on India’s decision to import oil from Russia despite the west imposing sanctions on the Putin-led regime. He called this decision to be ‘morally inappropriate.’
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“The opportunity for India to buy Russian oil at a cheap price comes from the fact that Ukrainians are suffering from Russian aggression, dying every day,” Kuleba said.
“If you benefit because of our suffering, it would be good to see more of your help addressed to us,” he further said.
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