Article source: "Guerre en Ukraine : les étudiants russes sont-ils "exclus des universités européennes", comme l'affirme la Russie?", Felicia Sideris, TF1 Info, 01/03/2022.
Has the impact of the conflict in Ukraine reached French university campuses? The Russian authorities are claiming just that. On Monday 28 February, the Russian human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, claimed that the "rights of Russian students" were being flouted in Europe. In a post on her Instagram page, she stated that young Russians were “being expelled from universities in France, the Czech Republic, Belgium and other European states in connection with the situation in Ukraine." There is, however, no evidence to support these allegations.
This unsubstantiated claim was reported by several Russian media outlets, who are all singing from the same hymnsheet, allowing the news to reach as far as France. The two major Russian news agencies, Interfax and RIA Novosti, published articles on the topic, with headlines referring to “Russian students being expelled from European universities” due to what they always refer to as “the special military operation in Ukraine”. RIA Novosti even quoted Tatyana Moskalkova as saying that "some Russians abroad have been harassed and attacked by foreigners."
"Pure Brainwashing"
Despite our efforts to get to the bottom of this story, we have found no evidence to support the allegations. Instead, all of the educational establishments we have contacted insist that now is the time to protect Russian citizens.
The University of Strasbourg, for example, reminded Russian students that they did not have to be "victims of their leaders' deadly whims." In a statement published on Tuesday, the president of the university, Michel Deneken, confirmed this position. He described the story as "totally misleading" and "pure brainwashing... At the University of Strasbourg, like all French universities, we consider it our sacred duty to welcome students of all origins as part of the diversity of an intentional cosmopolitanism," he said, adding that these values were "more than ever mobilised against obfuscation created by military leaders who spread disinformation."
Support for Russian Students
The same goes for the University of Bordeaux, who assure us of their intention to "follow the ministry's instructions" on the issue. In addition, the university says it is committed to supporting these students "so that they don’t end up in vulnerable situations."
When contacted, the French higher education ministry confirmed that it had reminded all university officials this Monday that "Russian students, academics and researchers working in our laboratories can continue their activities."
Translated by Charles Cazalis and Tate Neilsen
Editing by Sam Trainor