As tensions mount in the Russia/Ukraine crisis, international students from both countries face a situation in which they are both grateful to be away from the region, but feel ties of responsibility to their home countries.
UW international students Natalia Sharova and Jenya Avramenko, both graduate assistants in the Global and Area Studies department, discussed with the Branding Iron their personal experiences being in America when such tumultuous events are taking place so near their families and friends.
Sharova is Russian and Avramenko is from Ukraine. Russian troops took control of the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine and a subsequent referendum vote by the region’s inhabitants ceded to join Russia. NATO and Western countries have put pressure on the government in Russia and in an interview with the Associated Press, U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove said he would not “write off involvement by any nation, to include the United States.” NATO’s top military commander in Europe said Wednesday there was a possibility of military action in the Eastern European states.
“I would definitely say that there are advantages and disadvantages to being in America during this whole situation,” said Avramenko. “Over here I can access a lot more objective media reports. But a disadvantage is that I feel a certain amount of responsibility to my country, and to protect my family if conflict were to break out.”
Sharova does not agree that media coverage of the issue is completely objective in America, however.
“Here I’m getting pretty much just a Western perspective from news, and I’m not relying on Russian news sources because after this Crimea situation Russia stopped the publishing of more liberal news sources in the country,” said Sharova. “I cannot get any information from the Internet about what is actually happening in Russia.”
Both of the students expressed concerns over how the outcome of the Crimean Crisis could affect their future as well.
“If actual war were to somehow break out, I would drop everything and go back home,” Avramenko said.
Citing his concerns for friends and family, Avramenko made it clear that being abroad during times of conflict in one’s home country can result in a massive disruption of future plans.
Sharova’s concerns are centered more around her ability to travel back and forth between Russian and the U.S. later in life.
“I’m worried that I’m separated from my family and I don’t know how the situation is going to develop,” said Sharova. “What if it will be harder for me to renew my American visa? What if, because I’m engaged to an American, it will be harder for him to visit Russia?”
While geopolitical conflicts have the capacity of greatly disrupting the lives of students from the countries involved, Sharova said they can also present unique advantages.
“I was planning to pursue a career here anyway. I’m interested in politics, but I don’t like the Russian government, so there was no way for me to do anything in Russian politics,” Sharova said. “Maybe I actually will have better career opportunities because I’m Russian and if I pursue further education related to Russian politics I’ll have an advantage for getting a job in America.”
What was clear is that just because international students may be planning on pursuing careers here in the U.S., does not necessarily mean that they view events occurring in their home countries as irrelevant.
Both Sharova and Avramenko are pursuing fields of study that focus on global events such as the Crimean Crisis, and the outcome is of great interest to both. This is particularly so concerning the role that is being played by Western powers such as the EU, U.S. and NATO.
The West has put travel bans and asset freezes in place and made it clear it will introduce more painful sanctions affecting Russia’s energy industries and other economic sectors if a Russian invasion takes place.
“Personally I don’t think economic sanctions will deter Putin,” said Avramenko. “They might work in the long term, but I think most Ukrainians aren’t satisfied because they don’t feel secure in Ukraine right now. They are living under the anxiety of Russian invasion.”
Avramenko went on to say that, from his perspective, the annexation of Crimea is only the first stage of an already existing war.
“I keep saying that war has already started. Of course, there is no direct clash between armies, but people are living under the threat invasion and a huge amount of Russian military is concentrated just across the eastern border of Ukraine,” Avramenko said.
Sharova views the response of the West under a completely different light, knowing what sanctions could mean for relatives living in Russia.
“If I didn’t have any family there, I would not be as worried about sanctions,” Sharova said. “If serious economic sanctions were to be enacted, it would severely affect them. Worst comes to worst, they might possibly have to come and live with me, here.”
With numerous media attention focused on the events and possible outcomes of the current situation in the Crimean Peninsula, it’s important to remember that the U.S. has numerous residents torn between the desire to study and possibly live here, and the ties they hold to their home countries.
