Since 2022, this is the first question in every counselling session — and it deserves a straight answer, not a sales pitch. Ours comes from a live network: MedAbroad's founders are Russian-university alumni, and we speak weekly with current Indian students in Tver, Kazan, Perm and other cities.
The ground reality in student cities
The universities Indian students attend are in cities like Tver, Kazan, Perm, Ufa and Volgograd — hundreds to thousands of kilometres from the conflict zone. Daily life there is, by every account from our students, normal: classes run on schedule, markets and metro operate, campuses are secure, and the Indian Embassy maintains registration and advisory channels for the 20,000+ Indian students in the country. India–Russia relations remain warm, and Indian students report no hostility.
None of this means "nothing can ever change." It means: as of the 2026-27 intake, students already there describe a stable, routine student life.
The practical frictions (honestly)
Flights: no direct Mumbai–Moscow on most routes; students fly via Delhi/Dubai/Central Asia. Longer and ₹10–20k costlier than pre-2022.
Money transfer: Western sanctions affect some channels; fee payments and living-money transfers work through the banking arrangements universities specify — slightly more paperwork, functioning routinely. We walk every family through it.
Cards: international Visa/Mastercard don't work in Russia; students use local Mir-linked accounts opened on arrival. It's an adjustment, not a barrier.
News anxiety at home: honestly, the hardest part is often the parents' WhatsApp forwards, not the student's reality. We connect parents directly with current students' families.
What we tell families straight
If your risk tolerance is zero, consider other countries — we counsel for those too.
If you choose Russia, choose established cities/universities with big Indian communities and embassy proximity protocols.
Register with the Indian Embassy on arrival (we make sure every student does).
Ask a student who's there right now
Don't take our word — in your free counselling session we'll connect you with current Indian students on campus and let you ask them anything, unsupervised. That's the standing MedAbroad offer. Contact us or WhatsApp +91-98336-36194.
Frequently asked questions
Did Indian students leave Russia during the war? Unlike Ukraine, there was no evacuation from Russian universities; programs continued.
Is the degree affected by sanctions? No — degree recognition follows WHO listing and FMGL compliance, which are unchanged.
Can parents visit? Yes — tourist visas for Indians are straightforward; several of our students' parents visit in summer.