On the 24th of February, Russian troops invaded Ukraine and have launched a war on the country since. For many students from Ukraine, Russia and Eastern Europe, these attacks are more than just news articles. ‘I saw all these military convoys and troops and I felt something I never knew I would feel.’

Mariya (Ukrainian), 28, PhD candidate Biochemistry (RadboudUMC)

‘It is difficult to describe what I felt when I learned that Russian troops had invaded Ukraine. I’m from Crimea, my family and my friends are still living there. I couldn’t sleep properly the night before the war started because the situation had been escalating. You see the indirect signs that something is going to happen – and when Putin closed the airspace over the Ukrainian border, I knew something bad was coming. The next morning, I woke up and saw the news. I first saw a video of an airstrike siren and all these military convoys and troops and I felt something I never knew I would feel. Those are not news about a far-away country in the midst of a civil war, this is an attack on my country in the middle of Europe.’

‘On the one hand, I am happy to see that the world is uniting over this war. After what has happened in Crimea in 2014 (when Russia annex the Ukrainian peninsula, ed.), there were sanctions as well and many people were voicing concerns, but that was the extent of it. And I think Putin was hoping for European countries to be uncoordinated this time as well – but European countries united. As a matter of fact, the whole world is seeing Russia as the aggressor right now and wants this to stop. On the other hand, I don’t understand how someone in Europe can go on posting about their coffee on social media right now, how they can be so unaware of what is happening right on their doorstep. Of course, I understand that European countries cannot simply send troops to Ukraine, but my friends in Kyiv are being bombed every day at the moment.’

‘The war in Ukraine is already a western European problem’

‘I think the war in Ukraine is already a western European problem. Putin has already made it clear that he thinks a democratic country does not have the right to exist and he has expressed in past interviews that he considers Baltic countries as part of his bloody empire as well. And when you now see how Russia has been claiming territory in geopolitical areas – you get an idea of what he wants to do. If he doesn’t get stopped now, Europe and the rest of the world will show that there is nothing he cannot do. And what do you think a mad dictator can do? He can do anything.’

Arina (Russian), 21, student Life Science (HAN)

‘When I heard that Russian troops had invaded Ukraine, I got very scared for my family. My family in Russia lives very close to the border of Kharkov and they could hear the bombing strikes from there. A lot of people left the region, but my family stayed. It’s easier for me to inform myself on the situation, because I live abroad and have access to different information sources. I know that a war is happening in Ukraine. Some Russians are only following the federal tv-channels and aren’t aware of that, or they believe it is fake. It doesn’t matter who is right or wrong, but it is a fact that a war is happening and people are suffering. Some Russians oppose the war and have shown that by protesting, but most are scared of the possible consequences.’

‘It doesn’t matter who is right or wrong, but it is a fact that a war is happening and people are suffering’

‘Luckily, I have not faced any discrimination in the Netherlands due to my nationality, but I know that some countries have expelled students because they are Russian. My university has contacted me and offered to help me if I would need it, but right now I am not asking for any help.’

Mirell (Estonian), 21, student Comparative European History (RU)

‘Estonia has close cultural ties with Russia, but politically, it has always been tense. Especially after the immediate clash of the USSR, around the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Putin first became president, these tensions increased. For us, Russia has long been the unstable neighbour. Not necessarily a reason for imminent panic, but something to keep in the back of your mind. Because of that, the war in Ukraine is not necessarily a surprise for me – but I’m still shocked. What is happening in Ukraine right now is insane.’

‘Russia has long been the unstable neighbour’

‘My dad is in the air force and my mom is working for the Estonian interior ministry, so I often also get a more administrative perspective additionally to the news. When it comes to the news, I’m following Estonian media outlets, I look at the BBC and CNN, at German media outlets, Dutch media outlets – and I try to also look at the Russian government-controlled media. Especially the latter is interesting when you’re trying to understand how Putin sees himself and the West and what he’s trying to sell to his people.’

‘Right now, I think it’s hard to foresee what is going to happen. I think Putin expected to be successful and achieve his goal way faster than he did. He might decide to do something crazy now. Escalate it further. Send bigger troops. I think the EU states and the NATO haven’t sent troops so far because that would definitely lead to an escalation. In my heart, I obviously want them to help Ukraine more, but when I think about it, realistically, sending NATO troops in would mean World War III.’