Russian UBC student finds finances cut off as sanctions take effect - Action News
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British Columbia

Russian UBC student finds finances cut off as sanctions take effect

An international student at the University of British Columbia says hehas been unable to access funds from his parents in Moscow for days.

Artemi Meshcherin says his uncertainty pales in comparison to what his Ukrainian friends on campus are feeling

Russian international student Artemi Meshcherin is pictured on campus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

An international student at the University of British Columbia says he is facinguncertainty amid economic sanctions imposed on Russia.

Second-year student Artemi Meshcherin says hehas been unable to access funds from his parents in Moscow for days.

"Right now, I'm financially cut off from home," he said.

With the country's invasion of Ukraine raging on, Canada and other countries including the U.S. have imposed substantial sanctions against Russia, most notably cutting off major Russian banks from the rest of the world.

Mescherinsays he is unsure how long he'll be locked out.

"Unfortunately, many Russian people, including Russian students at UBC and in Canada, they have to be facing challenges based on the decisions that the government made," he said.

"Andwe are not in control of that. And I don't think it's fair to say that we are somehow affiliated with everything that's happening right now."

As an international student, he is only allowed to work part-time.He hopes the money he earns here can keep him afloat for now, but it's not enough to cover tuition, he says, which is substantially higher for international students compared to domestic students.

According to UBC,a number of students are in a similar situation. The universityadvisesthem to speak to university officials, adding that supports, such as emergency bursaries, are in place.

Meshcherin says he is dealing with stress that comes with uncertainty, but notes that it pales in comparison to what his Ukrainian friends on campus are experiencing as their friends and family are in direct danger.

With files from Jon Hernandez