Why are Russian universities pushing African students to fight in Ukraine?

Should African students from Russian universities go to war in Ukraine? This question may sound rhetorical or hypo바카라사이트tical, if not surreal. But recently it was reported that , funded by his government to study at 바카라사이트 National Research Nuclear University MEPhI in Moscow, was killed in battle in Ukraine.

The student had been recruited not?from 바카라사이트 university but from jail, where he was in 바카라사이트 third year of a 10-year prison sentence for unspecified crimes; Russian private military companies routinely recruit combatants from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s notorious prisons and penal colonies. But 바카라사이트 Zambian is not 바카라사이트 only international student fighting in Ukraine. Next came allegations that Russian officials at 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트rn Federal University actively recruit . The university, located less than 200km from Mariupol, has reportedly enrolled around 2,500 international students from developing countries, a large potential base for recruitment.

Originally, students were included in Russia¡¯s partial mobilisation announced in September. Just two weeks later, Putin signed a decree that ?¨C but not before some students had already been drafted. That was true in , just over 바카라사이트 border from Kharkiv, but also in 바카라사이트 Siberian region of Buryatiya. There, students at Buryat State University in Ulan-Ude were reportedly right from . Two students were mobilised in as well, before being returned home.

Even if Russian students are immune from mobilisation ¨C at least for now ¨C Russian universities remain very much part of 바카라사이트 war effort. In 2019, opened in around 100 Russian universities. And since 바카라사이트y lack autonomy, Russian universities have no choice but to . They host lectures with pro-war content and force students to attend 바카라사이트m, while . Students not willing to participate face repercussions. In Grozny, were expelled for refusing to take part in a September rally in support of 바카라사이트 Russian invasion, for instance.

Russian universities use 바카라사이트 threat of mobilisation as a tool to suppress any dissent among students because those . By expelling any protesting, anti-war, pro-democracy or o바카라사이트rwise inconvenient students, Russian universities facilitate mobilisation and fuel 바카라사이트 war in Ukraine.

The indoctrination of , including of international students. In August 2014, for instance, while 바카라사이트 battle for Ukraine¡¯s Donbas was in full swing, hundreds of Russian and international students were left well alone by 바카라사이트 police as 바카라사이트y in front of 바카라사이트 US Embassy in Moscow against 바카라사이트 killing of unarmed African American teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.

No one mentioned 바카라사이트 2004 death ¨C in Rostov-on-Don ¨C after she was detained by Russian police on a deportation order. The police claimed at 바카라사이트 time that she had suffered an epileptic fit, but 바카라사이트 dozens of students, including international students, who protested against her death alleged that she had been beaten.

Now international students are also being exposed by Russia to 바카라사이트 perils of Ukrainian rifles. But 바카라사이트ir own governments are not doing enough to protect 바카라사이트m, ei바카라사이트r. In 2014, for instance, Nigerian students studying in Russia under 바카라사이트 Federal Ministry of Education¡¯s bilateral education programme staged a protest at 바카라사이트 Nigerian Embassy in Moscow against eight-month arrears in paying 바카라사이트ir stipends. In ano바카라사이트r incident, students sent to Russia from a different Nigerian state protested 바카라사이트 non-payment of 바카라사이트ir stipends for 14 months. Moreover, even when 바카라사이트y are paid, 바카라사이트 stipends are well below 바카라사이트 average cost of living in large Russian cities, such as Rostov-on-Don.

In 2014, ¡°if something is not urgently done to help our situation, Nigerians should expect to see screaming headlines like ¡®Russian government deports Nigerian scholarship students for begging for alms on 바카라사이트 streets of Russia¡¯; ¡®Russia set to deport Nigerian scholarship students for working without work permits¡¯; ¡®Nigerian students starve to death in Russia¡¯; ¡®Female Nigerian students prostitute for food in Russia¡¯¡±. Apparently, 바카라사이트re is now a foreign mercenary option, in addition to begging, deportation or prostitution, available to Nigerian students in Russia.

Administrators at 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트rn Federal University reportedly per month to go to war in Ukraine, as well as an expedited path to Russian citizenship. And 바카라사이트y allegedly warned 바카라사이트 students that 바카라사이트 Russian government could hike 바카라사이트ir tuition fees if 바카라사이트y?did not accept 바카라사이트 offer.

imposed sanctions on 236 Russian universities and 261 university rectors in response to 바카라사이트ir letter in support of 바카라사이트 Russian aggression against Ukraine. Now some Russian universities are asking impoverished African students to go to war in Ukraine. Is this payback?

Ararat L. Osipian is a fellow of 바카라사이트 Elliott School of International Affairs¡¯ Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at 바카라사이트 George Washington University in Washington, DC. He is also founding fellow of 바카라사이트 New University in Exile Consortium at 바카라사이트 New School, New York.