Is Russia safe for Indian MBBS students? Advisories, regions and rules in 2026

Each section links the documents its facts come from: Embassy advisories and posts, MEA’s advisory list, Russian decrees and federal laws, university rules, and the UK and US travel advisories. Where we could not check something, we say so. Advisories can change after 18 October 2026, so read the Embassy’s and MEA’s own channels before you decide on a city.

What India’s government says now

Two Indian sources matter: MEA’s travel advisories and the Embassy of India in Moscow. On 18 October 2026, MEA’s advisory list for Russia showed two advisories, both marked “Advisory remains valid”. Neither is about students or about any Russian city or province. The Embassy’s own advisories and notices for students are older, and the table gives the status of each.

Checked 18 October 2026. “Still online” means the Embassy’s server still served the file on that date. A file that was never taken down does not, on its own, show that the Embassy still lists it or that it is in force.

Advisories get faked. On 3 March 2022 the Embassy warned that a “Latest advisory for Indian nationals as on 03 March 2022” circulating on social media had not been issued by it, and appeared to be a modified version of an advisory from the Indian Embassy in Ukraine. Read advisories only on the Embassy’s and MEA’s own channels, listed under who to call.

The Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk advisory

This advisory bears directly on which city you choose. On 14 August 2024 the Embassy issued an “Advisory for Indian nationals in Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk Regions”. In view of recent security incidents in those regions, it said, Indian nationals are advised to take necessary precautions and temporarily relocate outside them. Here is what we could establish about it on 18 October 2026:

• ›The PDF, stamped with the Embassy’s seal, is still at its original address, and it is the same file the Internet Archive saved on the day it was issued.
• ›The Embassy posted the same text on its Telegram channel on 14 August 2024. A search of the channel in English and Russian found nothing that replaces, extends or withdraws it. The channel does not carry every Embassy notice, though: the June 2024 drowning advisory is not there either.
• ›It was listed on the Embassy’s homepage in the last archived copy we found, of 3 February 2026. Since February 2026 the live site opens on a “Please verify that you are human” page, which we did not get past, so we could not see whether it is still listed.
• ›It is the Embassy’s own advisory and is not on MEA’s list for Russia.
• ›Indian students stayed enrolled in Kursk after it. On 9 February 2025 the Embassy’s Minister (Education), V. Kumar, chaired a welcome ceremony at Kursk State Medical University that about 80 students attended. That post did not change the advisory, which the Embassy’s homepage still listed that month.

Until the Embassy says otherwise, treat the advisory as current. Kursk State Medical University is the only university on our list in those three regions, and we do not currently suggest it.

Regions under special regimes

Russia sets security regimes region by region. Presidential Decree No. 757 of 19 October 2022, as amended on 25 August 2023, puts the Republic of Crimea, Krasnodar Krai, the Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk and Rostov oblasts, and Sevastopol under a “medium response level”. Its clause 3 lets the regional authorities there set a special regime for entering and leaving the territory, limit freedom of movement within it, and temporarily resettle residents to safe areas. The rest of the Central and Southern Federal Districts are on “heightened readiness”, and every other region on “base readiness”.

Our list is the 50 Russian universities we profile on this site, plus Voronezh State Medical University, which is in the fee table on our MBBS in Russia page. Checked 18 October 2026.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) reports military activity in the Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, and says that “On 10 August” Russian authorities introduced a “counter-terrorist operation” regime in the Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk oblasts. Its page gives no year; Kommersant dates the announcement to 10 August 2024. On 10 March 2026 Kommersant reported that Alexander Bortnikov, director of Russia’s Federal Security Service and chairman of its National Anti-Terrorism Committee, answered no when asked whether the regime would be lifted. He said the question would be decided as Russian troops advance and a buffer zone forms along the border. We found no report of it being lifted since, though we did not check the committee’s own site. The FCDO warns that military activity could spread to other areas.

The US State Department’s advisory says that in October 2022 Russia “declared martial law” in Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Rostov and Krasnodar. That is the US’s description. Decree No. 757’s own term for those regions is “medium response level”, and the US list leaves out Crimea and Sevastopol. Martial law, under Decree No. 756, covers only the four Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Neither Ufa nor the Moscow region is in the table above. Under Decree No. 757 the Moscow region is on “heightened readiness” and Bashkortostan, where Ufa is, on “base readiness”, yet both had Indian casualties in 2026.

Indian nationals hurt in 2026

These are the incidents the Embassy reported on its own Telegram channel in 2026. We cite its posts. Press reports added details the Embassy did not give, such as the kind of attack in February and who launched the drone in August, and we leave those out.

Checked 18 October 2026 on the Embassy’s Telegram channel. The 17 May and 19 August posts link the matching posts on the Embassy’s X account.

Two of the three were in Ufa, home of Bashkir State Medical University, which is on our list. None was in a region under Decree No. 757’s medium response level.

How the UK and the US rate Russia

MEA’s list for Russia carries no advice against travel. Two other governments do advise their citizens against it. Both write for their own nationals, and we use them only as a cross-check on conditions inside Russia.

• ›The FCDO advises against all travel to Russia because of the risks from its continuing invasion of Ukraine: security incidents such as drone attacks and Russian air-defence activity, a lack of flights to return to the UK, and limited ability for the UK government to provide support. Its page was last updated on 18 September 2026 and was still current on 18 October 2026.
• ›The US State Department rates Russia Level 4: Do Not Travel. It says not to travel for any reason, citing terrorism, unrest and wrongful detention among other risks, and tells US citizens in Russia to leave immediately. Its advisory feed dates the current version 28 December 2025.
• ›Both report drone attacks and explosions beyond the border area. The FCDO names large cities and infrastructure sites across western and central Russia. The US names Moscow, Kazan and St Petersburg. Kazan has two universities on our list, Kazan State Medical University and Kazan Federal University.
• ›The FCDO says terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Russia, that attacks could be indiscriminate, including at large gatherings and on transport networks, and that attacks in major cities are highly likely. It says terrorists are active in the North Caucasus and have attacked mainly in Dagestan. Our list has three universities in North Caucasus republics: Dagestan State Medical University in Makhachkala, Kabardino-Balkarian State University in Nalchik and North Caucasian State Academy in Cherkessk.
• ›The FCDO also reports several shootings in Moscow, often near apartment blocks, and a bombing near a Moscow railway station.

During a drone attack

We found no university on our list that publishes a drone-alert or shelter procedure for international students. Ask yours, in writing, how it warns students and where they shelter.

For people who stay in Russia, the FCDO advises keeping departure plans under review, following the local authorities’ advice, and taking cover from drone attacks “in buildings or underground and avoid windows”. The US advisory says to follow instructions from local authorities and seek shelter. Russia’s emergency number is 112.

Airspace may close during drone attacks, and the FCDO says this has caused frequent and unpredictable delays, diversions and cancellations of flights in and out of Russian airports. It also reports restrictions on domestic flights to a number of airports in southern Russia. Leave spare days around exams and the start of term when you book.

Do not film it or share it

The FCDO says Russia severely restricts publishing or distributing information about its armed forces and military operations, including images of drone, military or terrorist attacks and their aftermath. Publishing or sharing content considered “fake”, social media included, can bring a fine or a prison sentence of up to 15 years. Photography is illegal at any military, secure or official site, airports included, and there may be no warning signs.

Keep your phone working

The FCDO says a SIM card that has not been connected to a Russian network for 72 hours cannot use mobile internet or send SMS when it is first switched on, and that service can take from several hours to several days to return. That matters most when you fly back after a vacation in India. Buying a Russian SIM card needs a passport or other ID and biometric checks.

Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn are blocked in Russia, the FCDO says. The Embassy also posts on Telegram and VK (VKontakte), which are not on that list. Follow it there before you travel.

Registration, fingerprints and the medical examination

Three legal deadlines start when you arrive in Russia. Universities set their own as well, and these can differ from the law: Bashkir State Medical University’s 2024 handbook asks for the migration card within 3 days of arrival, but still gives 90 days for the medical examination, which the law now sets at 30. Federal Law No. 109-FZ governs migration registration, and Federal Law No. 115-FZ the rest.

Law texts read on ConsultantPlus and on Russia’s official publication portal on 18 October 2026. The university rules come from Bashkir State Medical University’s handbook (created August 2024) and Saratov State Medical University’s rules (created 2015). We have not confirmed either with the university for 2026.

The medical examination deadline changed on 1 September 2026, when Federal Law No. 162-FZ of 10 June 2026 came into force. Older sources still say 90 days, among them the FCDO’s health page and Bashkir State Medical University’s 2024 handbook. Follow the deadline your university’s international office gives you, and if it says 90 days, ask it about the 2026 change.

Missing these has consequences. Under Article 5(23) of 115-FZ, missing the fingerprinting, photograph or medical examination cuts your permitted stay short. So does a finding of drug use without a doctor’s prescription, HIV (with narrow exceptions) or a dangerous infectious disease, whether it comes from the examination or from other medical care. In the cases the law sets out, the authorities can also declare your stay in Russia “undesirable” or refuse you entry in future. The FCDO’s entry page adds that foreigners who overstay without the necessary permits or visa are put on a surveillance register, deported and banned from re-entering.

Out-of-date rules are still in circulation. The Embassy’s Immigration Rules page, in the copy archived on 30 April 2025, gives three days for registration, which 109-FZ now puts at seven working days. MEA still hosts an advisory for students going to Russia created in May 2009, which refers to the Medical Council of India and a three-day registration rule. The visa itself is covered on our Russian student visa page.

Laws that get students detained

Your passport

Carry it at all times. The FCDO says police carry out random checks, copies are not accepted, and someone who cannot show a passport when asked could be fined or detained for up to 48 hours. The Embassy’s Immigration Rules page says police often ask to see the passport, visa and registration.

The same page says passports and original certificates belong to the students and should not be given to contractors, consultants or foreign authorities for safe custody, and that no one has the authority to confiscate them. Your university’s international office will ask for the passport to file your registration: Saratov State Medical University’s rules give three working days from arrival to hand in the passport, migration card and education contract. Ask when it comes back. The Embassy also warns that students travelling on damaged or torn passports are stopped at Russian airports. If you lose your passport, Saratov’s rules say to report it at once to the university and your embassy.

Narcotics

The Embassy has seen a number of cases in which Indian medical students were detained by police on alleged narcotics charges, and it calls narcotics offences a serious crime that attracts heavy punishment. The FCDO says you can be prosecuted for possessing even small quantities of any drug, cannabis included, and should expect a long jail sentence and heavy fines, including in transit at an airport. The compulsory medical examination tests for drug use, and a positive finding shortens your stay and can lead to a ban on returning, as the section above explains. Bashkir State Medical University’s handbook prohibits tobacco, alcohol and narcotic drugs on university territory.

Online betting

An Embassy notice says Indian students in certain universities have been getting involved in illegal online betting, and that the betting agencies display Indian passports on their websites as proof of registration, which might have security implications for the passport holders. It advises students not to be party to any punishable activity.

Social media and protests

The FCDO says a revision of the Russian Criminal Code on 28 December 2024 widened the liability of foreigners believed to be acting against Russian interests, even for activity outside Russia. Its examples include expressing support for Ukraine on social media and displaying LGBT+ symbols such as the rainbow flag. It also says a single person can count as a protest under Russian law, and advises against photographing or filming political activities.

Job offers from the armed forces

MEA’s advisory of 30 September 2026 is about this. It says foreign nationals are being recruited into the Russian armed forces by non-public entities, voluntary groups among them, and advises Indians to exercise due diligence before accepting job offers from agents not registered with MEA. It calls seeking out such offers “a dangerous path”. If anyone offers you work of this kind, refuse it and tell the Embassy.

Why universities expel students

The Embassy’s Education Wing says it often gets complaints about Indian students expelled from Russian medical universities. The reasons it gives:

• ›not getting the required marks or not clearing exams;
• ›not paying fees;
• ›lack of attendance;
• ›infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis;
• ›disciplinary problems.

It says these rules are very stringently observed, often midway through the course. It also says financial hardship support or an education loan cannot be obtained in Russia, so a student who cannot pay is expelled and has to leave the country. Arrange the money for the whole course from India before you go; our page on education loans for MBBS in Russia covers that.

Saratov State Medical University’s rules for foreign students, a document from about 2015, give 14 days to leave Russia after graduating or being expelled. They also say you must not change your place of stay or travel elsewhere in Russia without informing the university. Ask your own university for its current rules.

Water, crime, money and hostels

Water

The Embassy says drowning incidents involving Indian students happen from time to time. Its advisory of 7 June 2024 counted four students dead that year so far, two incidents in 2023 and six drowning deaths in 2022, and urged students to be extremely careful at beaches, rivers, lakes, ponds and other water bodies.

Crime and harassment

The FCDO says most visitors have no problems, but that racial discrimination can happen in some areas: people of African, Asian or Caribbean descent may get unwanted attention in public places, so take care, particularly when travelling late at night. It also warns about these:

• ›criminals posing as police officers have harassed and robbed tourists, so if you are stopped, insist on seeing identification;
• ›British nationals travelling in unregistered taxis have been victims of crime, and official-looking taxis can be unlicensed, so call a registered taxi through a local app and do not flag one down;
• ›drink spiking, leading to robbery, violence or abuse, can happen, and can be life-threatening in winter, so buy your own drinks and keep them in sight;
• ›alcoholic drinks containing methanol have caused deaths, recently linked to bootleg vodka sold in the Leningrad region, and methanol cannot be identified by taste or smell.

Money

The FCDO says restrictions on Mastercard and Visa mean you may not be able to access money or other services in Russia. Before you fly, settle how money will reach you, and pay university fees only to the account the university itself names.

Hostels, food and climate

An undated Embassy page on living conditions says Russian medical institutes are spread across a country that “might have cold and harsh climate”. It says the cost of living is generally high, especially for fresh fruit and vegetables. Indian food, it says, is not available in the universities, and students are generally expected to cook their own food. It also warns that “Hostels at many universities could be inadequate”. Conditions differ by university, so ask yours, in writing, about entry control, security staff and visitor rules in its hostels, and about food.

Health care and insurance

Dial 112 and ask for an ambulance. The FCDO says any foreign national has a legal right to free medical care in life-threatening circumstances, but that hospitals do not accept all health cases and may ask for payment before treatment.

So you need insurance from the first weeks. Bashkir State Medical University’s handbook says every international student must buy health insurance within 15 days of arrival, and Saratov State Medical University’s rules require cover for accidents, sudden illness and repatriation. MEA’s 2009 advisory, out of date on most points, strongly recommends full medical insurance covering treatment and accidents before you enter Russia. Ask your university what its compulsory policy covers and excludes, and whether it pays for repatriation.

Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis are among the grounds for expulsion the Embassy lists, and the medical examination you repeat every year tests for dangerous infectious diseases.

Registering with the Embassy, and who to call

Register on MADAD

The Embassy’s student registration page invites every Indian student in Russia to register on MEA’s MADAD portal, under “Registration of Indian Students Abroad”. It says the data lets the Embassy know the number and details of Indian students, share useful information and provide assistance if required. MADAD’s own page, last updated on 13 October 2026, asks students studying or planning to study abroad to register their course and contact details. We found no rule that makes it compulsory.

Separately, the Embassy’s online registration form for Indian nationals living in Russia is open to those staying more than six months continuously, and “Student” is one of its options.

Numbers and addresses

Checked 18 October 2026. The Embassy’s website now opens on a human-verification page, so its numbers are taken from the latest archived copies and from MEA’s 2026 advisory. Save them in your phone before you fly.

Consulates outside Moscow

India has Consulates General in Kazan, Yekaterinburg, St Petersburg and Vladivostok. The Embassy’s jurisdiction list, regenerated on 24 September 2026, assigns each one its regions. When four Indian students were hurt in Ufa in February 2026, the Embassy said staff of the Consulate in Kazan were on their way to Ufa to help them.

The list names no office for the other regions, among them Moscow, Kursk and Crimea; contact the Embassy in Moscow from there.

Official channels

The Embassy’s Education page links its official accounts: Telegram (t.me/indianembassymoscow), X (@IndEmbMoscow), Facebook (IndEmbMoscow) and VK (indianembassyrus), plus MADAD. Inside Russia, the FCDO says, Facebook and X are blocked.

The Embassy also visits university cities. It announced Open Houses for Indian students in Omsk on 28 January 2026 and Grozny on 27 March 2026, met Indian students at Surgut State University on 17 February 2026, and held an Open House for the Indian community at the Embassy on 24 September 2026.

Before you accept an admission

Ask the university these questions in writing, and keep the replies:

• ›How does it warn students of a drone attack, and where do they shelter?
• ›Who files your migration registration, and by what date?
• ›Where and when do you take the medical examination and fingerprinting, and what do they cost?
• ›What does its compulsory health insurance cover, and does it pay for repatriation?
• ›Who controls entry to the hostel, what security staff does it have, and what are its visitor rules?
• ›What are its rules on attendance, exam retakes and unpaid fees? These are the grounds the Embassy says lead to expulsion.

The Embassy’s advisory for prospective medical students adds two more: check directly with the university that the programme meets the required prerequisites, and read NMC’s advisory of 19 May 2025. Our guide “Is my university NMC approved?” shows how to check a degree against NMC’s Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021. Two of their conditions, the teaching language and the internships, have guides of their own: English-medium MBBS in Russia and the internship in India after MBBS abroad. Our page on the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) covers the screening test you sit in India afterwards. Our directory of Russian universities lists them with their cities.

What A.J Trust does

Our services page says: “Before admission we give every family a city-by-city briefing on safety, and we ask you to read the Indian Embassy in Moscow’s advisories as well.” It also says: “Before you fly, we give you an orientation on Russian law, on settling in, and on travel and safety.” Our MBBS in Russia page says: “A.J Trust has a local coordinator in Russia whom students can call in an emergency.” Save the Embassy’s numbers as well.