As news analysts and experts continue decoding the Wagner group’s aborted mutiny—if one could call it that—in Russia and a challenge to President Vladimir Putin, many Indian parents of children studying in Russia are slightly relieved after some heart-leapt-in-the-mouth moments. Having said that, I must add that the reaction by parents was exceptionally mature and measured compared to the hysteria whipped up by some news outlets.

Airport anguish

The main concern was parents asking if their children would be able to travel to Moscow airport to catch flights back to India. A lot of medicos in Russia return to India for a two-month break during this time. The next academic year begins in September. There are also several Indian parents who go to Russia, for their children’s convocation (graduation) ceremonies post the six- year medical course. Usually, after the ceremony, we see parents and their children doing some sightseeing in Russia, before returning to India. There are tourists in Russia during this summertime, out to witness ‘White Nights’ in places like St Petersburg, which sees almost 24 hours of sunlight and that is how it has gained the epithet ‘white night tourism’. This shows there is an uptick in travel between India and Russia at this time. On the day of the Wagner uprising, I got one just one phone call from the parent of an Indian student, who expressed concern about her daughter’s passage to the Moscow airport to catch the flight back to India.