The first group of Afghan students studying at Russian universities arrived in Russia today, the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science reported Wednesday, citing the head of the ministry, Valery Falkov.
"Helping Afghan students is primarily a humanitarian mission. Today, 138 students have arrived in Russia. All of them are studying at Russian universities or were enrolled in a preparatory course. We are grateful to the Ministry of Defense for organizing the transportation of students who wished to come to Russia to study from Afghanistan. Our task is to provide them with the opportunity to receive a high-quality higher education in comfortable conditions and safety. We hope that all of them will become qualified specialists and will be in demand both in Russia and in Afghanistan", Falkov said in the report.
As the press service of the ministry specified, the group arrived at the Chkalovsky airfield. The students, who have arrived in Russia, will study at Russian universities such as the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow Automobile and Road State Technical University, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute), Moscow State Technological University STANKIN, Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Kazan Federal University, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia Boris Yeltsin, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and others.
According to the report, the phased transportation of citizens of Afghanistan to Russia to continue or start their education in Russian universities was organized by the Defense Ministry and the Ministry of Education and Science by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Army General Sergei Shoigu, Minister of Defense, set up an aviation group of three military transport aircraft for transportation.
"As part of the implementation of the humanitarian mission, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia together with the Russian Embassy in Afghanistan and Russian universities carried out a significant amount of work to restore contacts with students in Afghanistan, creating conditions for the organization of observation in the Russian Federation, informing Russian universities about the preparations and stages of joint work to implement the transportation of citizens of Afghanistan to Russia," the report adds.
It is noted that the Ministry sent 1,193 applications for visa support to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, on the basis of which 981 visas were issued today. Visas were issued, including for the Afghan students who were enrolled in the preparatory department or the first course. The Ministry of Education and Science in cooperation with the Russian Embassy in Afghanistan will continue forming lists of Afghan students for inclusion in subsequent special flights, the press service said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS