Khatuta Mutovich Berbekov
The university's first rector and its namesake. The institution was named after him in 1996 for his role in establishing higher education in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.
Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov
A classical state university in the North Caucasus, teaching medicine in Nalchik since 1966 and General Medicine in English since 2017.
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Russia
Country
Nalchik
City
#82 in Russia
RAEX-100 ranking 2026
English
Medium of the English track
For Indian Students
Can Indian students study MBBS in Russia?
Short answer: Yes, Indian students can study MBBS in Russia. Yes, the degree is eligible for the FMGE, as long as the programme is taught in English throughout and its internship is completed at the same university; a programme taught in Russian, or partly in Russian, does not qualify.
Admission is open to Indian students
Russian universities admit Indian students directly after Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, on Class 12 marks and a qualifying NEET UG result, with no separate entrance test and no IELTS or TOEFL. Indian students also obtain the NMC Eligibility Certificate before starting the course.
Is the degree NMC compliant?
Yes, when the whole programme is taught in English and the internship is completed at the same university. The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for a course of at least 54 months taught in English, an internship of at least twelve months in the same foreign institution, and a degree that entitles the holder to practise in Russia. The Russian programme is a six-year integrated Specialist degree with clinical rotations and internship in the later years, and at most universities on this page Russian is learned alongside for talking to patients. A few universities teach General Medicine in Russian or bilingually, and the NMC requires English for the whole course, so the internship arrangement and English medium of your programme are what count.
What this means if you want to work in India
Graduates of a programme that meets these rules sit the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force), complete any required internship in India and register with the NMC and their State Medical Council. The degree can also support the USMLE or PLAB routes for eligible graduates.
Introduction
Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov
- Study programme:General Medicine (Lechebnoe Delo, code 31.05.01), six-year Specialist degree
- Language:English, with no Russian preparatory year needed for entry
- Duration:6 years, ending in the state Primary Accreditation examination
- University type:Federal state university, Ministry of Science and Higher Education
- Per academic year fees:₹4.46 lakh (RUB 395,000), English track, 2026-27
- Entrance examination:No entrance test: admission by document assessment, with a NEET certificate for Indian applicants
- Hostel:₹1,100 to ₹2,200 a month (RUB 978 to RUB 1,921), set by rector's order
- International seats:Around 630 students on the English-medium track
Three-storey white faculty building of Kabardino-Balkarian State University set behind lawns and conifers
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Recognition & Prestige
Rankings & Recognition
RAEX-100 places Kabardino-Balkarian State University 82nd among Russian universities for 2026, its best position in nine years, up from 99th in 2024 and 89th in 2025. For most of the past decade it sat in the 88 to 99 range, and it reached 64th in 2013. It does not appear in QS or Times Higher Education.
#82
RAEX-100, all Russian universities, 2026
Kabardino-Balkarian State University is a federal state budgetary institution of higher education under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, a classical multi-faculty university; its medical curriculum follows the same federal standard for code 31.05.01 as every Russian medical school. The Medical Academy runs Specialist programmes in General Medicine, Paediatrics, Pharmacy and Medical Prophylactic Affairs, residency training in 18 specialties and postgraduate study in 15, across more than 25 departments. The university is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, and its six-year English-medium degree opens the FMGE route to India when the programme meets the NMC's FMGL 2021 rules on duration, internship and medium of teaching.
Accreditations and Recognition
WDOMS
Kabardino-Balkarian State University is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools
Complete Information About Kabardino-Balkarian State University
Get complete information about Kabardino-Balkarian State University, Nalchik, including tuition, living costs, admission and recognition for Indian students.
Success stories
Student Success Stories
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Academic Excellence
Why Study Medicine at Kabardino-Balkarian State University
Kabardino-Balkarian State University teaches General Medicine in English at RUB 395,000 a year, with dormitory places from RUB 978 a month, in a mild-climate Caucasus city where around 630 students already study on the English-medium track. The travel advisories for the region are part of the same decision and are set out in Student Life.
An English Track Priced Separately
Low, Published Dormitory Rates
Sixty Years of Medical Teaching
An Established Indian Cohort
Its Own University Clinic and Republican Hospitals
A Mild Climate by Russian Standards
Rising in the National Ranking
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How to Apply
Admission Process for General Medicine
Admission to General Medicine is by document assessment rather than an entrance examination. Scanned documents are uploaded to the admissions portal, originals are presented on arrival, and enrolment completes once tuition is paid. The university asks Indian applicants for a NEET certificate, and a qualifying NEET UG result and the NMC Eligibility Certificate remain Indian requirements completed before going abroad.
Admission Timeline
- 1Before applyingQualify NEET UG and obtain the NMC Eligibility Certificate
Indian citizens need a qualifying NEET UG result before joining a medical course abroad, valid for three years from its declaration, and the NMC Eligibility Certificate before starting the course. The university itself asks Indian applicants for a NEET certificate.
- 2On applicationUpload scanned documents to the admissions portal
Passport, school-leaving certificate and transcript, certificate of recognition of foreign education, NEET certificate, police clearance, photograph and vaccination certificate are uploaded as scans.
- 3On applicationNo entrance examination
There is no entrance test for the English-medium track for foreign nationals, and the Russian preparatory-faculty certificate is not needed for English programmes.
- 4After acceptanceInvitation letter and student visa
The university issues an invitation letter for the student visa application at a Russian consular centre in India.
- 5On arrivalPresent originals and medical documentation
Originals of all documents are presented in person, with a medical certificate in Russian confirming no contraindications to study, an HIV test certificate in Russian, a COVID-19 certificate and a voluntary medical insurance policy covering outpatient care and repatriation.
- 6After arrivalMigration registration and enrolment
Migration registration is completed with the Russian authorities within the statutory period, and enrolment finalises once tuition is paid.
Eligibility Criteria
Academic Qualification
The applicant submits a school-leaving certificate with transcript and a certificate of recognition of foreign education, which may follow within the first year of study. Indian applicants also submit a NEET certificate for medical specialties. Under Indian NMC rules an Indian student needs Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English at Class 12, with at least 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology for the general category, 40% for SC, ST and OBC candidates and 45% for general-category candidates with benchmark disabilities.
Subjects:
PhysicsChemistryBiologyEnglish
Age Requirement
Under Indian NMC rules the candidate must be 17 years old by 31 December of the admission year, with no upper age limit. The university sets no separate age condition.
- Minimum 17 yearsAge to be completed by 31 December of the admission year, under Indian NMC rules
Requirements
The requirements are documentary and medical, and two of them need arranging in India before departure.
NEET Certificate for Indian Applicants
The university's admissions checklist lists a NEET certificate as a required document for Indian citizens applying to medical specialties. It is a supporting eligibility document rather than a selection test.
Medical Documentation in Russian
A medical certificate confirming no contraindications to study and an HIV test certificate, both in Russian, plus a vaccination certificate or antibody results for rubella, mumps, diphtheria and measles, and a voluntary medical insurance policy.
Entrance Examination
Admission rests on the document assessment rather than an entrance test or category-wise minimum marks.
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Entrance test | None for foreign nationals on the English-medium track; admission is by assessment of the submitted diploma and transcript |
| Russian preparatory faculty | Required for Russian-language programmes and not required for English-language programmes |
| Recognition of foreign education | A certificate of recognition of the school qualification, which may be submitted within the first year of study |
Required Documents
To apply, students need to submit essential academic and identification documents:
- Passport, school-leaving certificate and transcript
- Certificate of recognition of foreign education, which may follow within the first year
- NEET certificate, required by the university of Indian citizens for medical specialties
- NMC Eligibility Certificate, required separately of Indian nationals
- + More
Admission Guidance & Document Checklist
Get the complete document checklist or admission guidance from our experts.
Programme Structure
MBBS Curriculum & Internship Structure
General Medicine (code 31.05.01, Lechebnoe Delo) is a six-year integrated Specialist degree leading to the professional title of Doctor. Clinical rotations and practical training run through the later years, and there has been no separate internship year after graduation since 2016: the course ends in the state Primary Accreditation examination, which licenses the graduate to practise in Russia.
General Medicine Course
Total Duration:
6 Years, ending in the state Primary Accreditation examination
Degree:
Specialist in General Medicine (Vrach, equivalent to MBBS)
Curriculum Phases at Kabardino-Balkarian State University
Years 1 to 2
Preclinical Foundations
The structure and function of the healthy human body, under the Russian federal standard:
Human AnatomyHistology and EmbryologyNormal PhysiologyBiochemistryMedical BiologyLatin Medical TerminologyMedical PhysicsRussian LanguageYear 3
Pathology and Propaedeutics
Disease mechanisms alongside the first systematic patient examination teaching:
Pathological AnatomyPathophysiologyPharmacologyMicrobiologyTopographic Anatomy and Operative SurgeryPropaedeutics of Internal DiseasesGeneral SurgeryHygieneYears 4 to 5
Clinical Disciplines
Teaching across the clinical specialties, with rotations through the Republican hospitals and specialist centres in Nalchik:
Internal MedicineSurgeryObstetrics and GynaecologyPaediatricsNeurologyPsychiatryDermatovenereologyInfectious DiseasesOncologyOphthalmologyOtorhinolaryngologyTraumatologyForensic MedicineYear 6
Final Clinical Year and Primary Accreditation
Supervised practice, concluding in the state Primary Accreditation examination that licenses practice in Russia:
Internal MedicineSurgeryObstetrics and GynaecologyEmergency MedicinePolyclinic PracticePublic Health
Clinical Rotations
Clinical training runs at the university's own clinic and across the republic's Ministry of Health facilities in Nalchik:
| Clinical base | Role in training |
|---|---|
| University Clinic of Kabardino-Balkarian State University | The university's own outpatient polyclinic, operating since 2016 at Ulitsa Nogmova 87 |
| Republican Clinical Hospital, Nalchik | The republic's main adult tertiary hospital, carrying most adult clinical rotations |
| Republican Children's Clinical Hospital | Paediatric rotations |
| Perinatal Centre and Cardiological Centre | Obstetrics, neonatal and cardiology rotations |
| Specialist dispensaries | The Psychoneurological Dispensary, the Narcological Dispensary and the Centre for the Prevention and Control of AIDS and Infectious Diseases |
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Clinical Network
The Medical Academy and Its Clinical Base
Kabardino-Balkarian State University publishes no student exchange programme for its international track. The structure of its Medical Academy and the hospitals its students train in are what determine the education a student receives.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Specialist programmes | General Medicine, Paediatrics, Pharmacy and Medical Prophylactic Affairs |
| Residency (ordinatura) | 18 specialties, with 14 new licences added in June 2020 |
| Postgraduate and doctoral study | 15 postgraduate specialties and one doctoral specialty |
| Departments | More than 25 departments within the Medical Academy |
| University Clinic | The university's own outpatient polyclinic, operating since 2016 at Ulitsa Nogmova 87 |
| Republican clinical bases | Republican Clinical Hospital, Republican Children's Clinical Hospital, Perinatal Centre, Cardiological Centre and the specialist dispensaries |
Explore the Clinical Training Network
The table above sets out the Medical Academy's programmes and the hospitals its students train in.
Legacy
The People Behind Kabardino-Balkarian State University
The university carries the name of its first rector, and its Medical Faculty has graduated more than 7,000 doctors since 1966.
Yuri Kambulatovich Altudov
Acting Rector of Kabardino-Balkarian State University, appointed by order of the Ministry of Education and Science dated 20 July 2015.
Ismail Alimovich Miziev
Dean of the Medical Academy since 2015, leading the faculty that runs General Medicine, Paediatrics, Pharmacy and Medical Prophylactic Affairs, residency in 18 specialties and postgraduate study in 15.
Faculty
The Medical Academy runs more than 25 departments and is led by Dean Ismail Alimovich Miziev. The wider university teaches more than 20,000 students, with a further 8,000 in continuing education, from its main campus at Ulitsa Chernyshevskogo 173 in Nalchik. Around 630 students study on the English-medium medical track, mainly from India and Egypt.
Academic Expertise
More than 25 departments in the Medical Academy
Residency training in 18 specialties
Postgraduate study in 15 specialties
82nd in Russia on RAEX-100 2026, up from 99th in 2024
Student Support & Mentorship
English-medium track running since 2017
No Russian preparatory year for English-programme entrants
Nine university dormitories
Clinical placements at the republic's main hospitals and the university's own clinic
About University
History Information
From a Training Campus to a Pedagogical Institute
University Status on 5 April 1957
Named After Berbekov in 1996
The Medical Faculty, 1966 to Today
Get all information about Kabardino-Balkarian State University in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can fulfil your dream of studying medicine at Kabardino-Balkarian State University.
Role in medicine
Role in medical education
The Medical School of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic
Teaching in Its Own Clinic
An English-Medium Programme Since 2017
Get all information about Kabardino-Balkarian State University in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can fulfil your dream of studying medicine at Kabardino-Balkarian State University.
Cost of living
Living Cost in Nalchik
Nalchik is a spa town in the foothills of the Caucasus with modest day-to-day costs, and the university publishes its dormitory rates by rector's order. The rows below are monthly approximations in rupees.
Monthly Living Cost
| Cost Component | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (university dormitory, RUB 978 to RUB 1,921) | ₹1,100 to ₹2,200 |
| Food | ₹18,000 to ₹28,000 |
| Transport | ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 |
| Other expenses (utilities, internet, SIM, leisure) | ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 |
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Average monthly living cost
₹23,100 to ₹40,200
Housing
Accommodation
Kabardino-Balkarian State University runs nine student dormitories and sets their rates by rector's order, which makes budgeting straightforward.
Nine University Dormitories
What a Place Costs
Why the Range Exists
Applying for a Place
Cooking and Daily Life
Private Rental
Need accommodation details?
Get a full overview of housing options with our university guide, or reach out to an expert.
Food & Dining
Cooking, Groceries and Indian Food in Nalchik
With around 630 students on the English-medium track, mainly from India and Egypt, Nalchik has a sizeable Indian student presence, and eating well here is mostly a matter of cooking.
Russian university dormitories provide shared kitchens, and cooking is the main way to eat Indian food regularly. It also keeps the monthly food budget at the lower end of the living cost table.
A cohort of around 630 English-track students sustains shared bulk orders and cooking arrangements among students.
Russian supermarket chains in Nalchik carry rice, lentils, vegetables and a limited range of spices, and the national marketplaces Ozon and Wildberries ship Indian and Asian spice brands across Russia.
Kabardian and Balkar cooking is built around lamb, beef and dairy, with breads and pastries that suit a student budget. Vegetarian students rely more on cooking at home.
Yandex Eda is the main food delivery platform in Russia, alongside Ozon and Wildberries for groceries and household goods.
Location
How to Reach Kabardino-Balkarian State University
Address
Kabardino-Balkarian State University, Ulitsa Chernyshevskogo 173, Nalchik, 360004, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Russia. The University Clinic stands separately at Ulitsa Nogmova 87.
Nearest Airport
Nalchik Airport (NAL), with domestic flights to Moscow and St Petersburg. There is no direct flight from India: the route runs through Moscow
Local Transport
City buses and marshrutkas, with the main campus on Ulitsa Chernyshevskogo and the University Clinic on Ulitsa Nogmova
Your Roadmap to Success
Career Pathways After General Medicine at Kabardino-Balkarian State University
Graduates receive the Russian Specialist diploma in General Medicine (code 31.05.01) with the professional qualification of Doctor, the Russian primary medical qualification and the equivalent of an Indian MBBS, not an Indian postgraduate MD.
The six-year English-medium degree opens the FMGE route to India when the programme meets the NMC's FMGL 2021 rules on duration, internship and medium of teaching. Graduates of a programme that meets them sit the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force), complete any required internship in India and register with the NMC and their State Medical Council.
The six years end in the state Primary Accreditation examination, which licenses a graduate to work as a doctor in Russia. Specialisation then runs through ordinatura, and the Medical Academy holds licences for residency training in 18 specialties.
Graduates can specialise in India through NEET PG after clearing the FMGE and the Indian internship, or in Russia through ordinatura. The Medical Academy also runs postgraduate study in 15 specialties.
Kabardino-Balkarian State University is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), so its graduates can apply for ECFMG Certification and sit the USMLE. ECFMG's accreditation policy is for information only and does not affect an individual graduate's eligibility for ECFMG Certification.
A Russian medical degree is not a European qualification for UK purposes, so a graduate applies to the General Medical Council through the PLAB route.
Understand the Medical Licensing Pathway
A clear overview of the exams and requirements after graduation.
Practising in India
FMGE (NExT Deferred and Not in Force)
To practise in India after graduating abroad, an Indian student qualifies NEET UG before admission, completes a programme that meets the NMC's FMGL 2021 rules, clears the FMGE (NExT is deferred and not in force), completes any required internship in India and registers with the NMC or a State Medical Council.
Step 1
Course Length and Internship
The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for a course of at least 54 months and an internship of at least twelve months in the same foreign institution, completed within ten years of joining. The six-year degree clears the course length. It is an integrated Specialist degree with clinical rotations and practical training in the later years and no separate internship year after graduation, so the internship arrangement of your programme is what counts.
Step 2
Teaching in English
The regulations ask for the whole course to be taught in English. The university prices a separate English-medium line for General Medicine in its 2026-27 fee schedule and waives the Russian preparatory year for English-programme entrants. Patients in Nalchik's hospitals speak Russian, so Russian is learned alongside for the wards.
Step 3
FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force)
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences conducts the FMGE twice a year with a pass mark of 150 out of 300. In the December 2025 session 42,872 candidates appeared and 10,262 qualified, a pass rate of 23.95%. In June 2025, 36,034 appeared and 6,707 qualified, 18.61%. The National Exit Test (NExT), intended to replace the FMGE, is deferred and not in force. NBEMS publishes no pass rate by university or by country.
Step 4
Clinical Internship in India (CRMI)
After clearing the FMGE, a foreign graduate completes a twelve-month Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship in India, at par with Indian medical graduates.
Step 5
Medical Registration
The final step is registration with the National Medical Commission or a State Medical Council, with the Russian degree apostilled for use in India. A registered graduate can practise anywhere in India.
Student Life Style
Student life at Kabardino-Balkarian State University
Nalchik is the capital of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, a spa town in the foothills of the Caucasus. The travel-advisory position and the mild climate are set out first.
Aerial view of a meandering river across the Russian countryside in summer
Travel Advisories
Aerial view of a river valley between forested hills in autumn, Russia
A Mild Climate
Academics and Language
Accommodation and Daily Costs
Money and Payments
An Established Indian Cohort
Scholarship & Financial
Scholarship & Financial Aid
The university offers no scholarship of its own for international students. The funded route is the Russian government quota, awarded nationally rather than by the university.
The Russian government offers a quota of scholarship places to Indian nationals each year, with medicine among the eligible fields. Selection is by academic record and portfolio rather than an entrance examination, and applicants rank up to six universities in order of preference.
- Covers tuition fees only
- Does not cover living costs, accommodation or travel
- Applications through the official Russian government education portal
Tuition on the English-medium track is RUB 395,000 a year for 2026-27 (about ₹4.46 lakh), RUB 2,370,000 over six years, about ₹26.8 lakh. The Russian-medium track for foreign nationals costs RUB 390,000 a year but needs the preparatory year, so the English track is the better value for an Indian student.
Dormitory places at RUB 978 to RUB 1,921 a month come to roughly RUB 12,000 to RUB 23,000 a year (about ₹13,300 to ₹26,000), far below private rental in most Russian university cities.
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Compare Colleges
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Quick Comparison:
Kabardino-Balkarian State University vs AIIMS New Delhi
| University | Kabardino-Balkarian State UniversityNalchik, Russia | AIIMS New DelhiNew Delhi, India |
|---|---|---|
| University Type | Public, Ministry of Science and Higher Education | Institute of National Importance (government) |
| Medium | English, with no Russian preparatory year needed | English |
| Course Duration | 6 years, with clinical training built into the later years | 5.5 years, being 4.5 years plus a 12-month internship |
| Tuition (per year) | ₹4.46 lakh (RUB 395,000), English track, 2026-27 | About ₹1,628 in academic fees for the whole course, including ₹1,350 tuition |
| Admission | Document assessment, no entrance test, plus a qualifying NEET UG result | NEET UG |
| Recognition | Listed in WDOMS; FMGE route when the programme meets the NMC rules | Listed in WDOMS |
| Ranking | RAEX-100 #82 (2026) | NIRF Medical 1 (2025) |
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Articles that turn complex MBBS-abroad rules into simple, practical steps for students and parents.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions students and parents ask most often about studying medicine at Kabardino-Balkarian State University.
The university prices a separate English-medium line for General Medicine in its official 2026-27 fee schedule, and its admissions page states that the Russian preparatory year is required for Russian-language programmes and not for English programmes. Around 630 students study on the English track, mainly from India and Egypt.
The university lists a NEET certificate among the documents required from Indian citizens applying to medical specialties, as a supporting eligibility document rather than a selection test. Indian citizens also need the NMC Eligibility Certificate before starting the course.
Tuition for the English-medium General Medicine track is RUB 395,000 a year for 2026-27, about ₹4.46 lakh, or RUB 2,370,000 over six years. The Russian-medium track for foreign nationals is RUB 390,000 a year.
Rector's Order No. 18/O of 19 January 2026 sets dormitory rates for fee-paying students between RUB 978 and RUB 1,921 per bed-place per month, rising to RUB 1,095 to RUB 1,921 from October 2026, about ₹1,100 to ₹2,200 a month across the nine dormitories.
Nalchik is the capital of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic in the North Caucasus. The United States Department of State places Russia at Level 4, Do Not Travel, and names Kabardino-Balkaria among the North Caucasus regions where civil and political unrest continues. The United Kingdom advises against all travel to Russia, and Australia advises do not travel to Russia.
The six-year English-medium degree opens the FMGE route to India when the programme meets the NMC's FMGL 2021 rules on duration, internship and medium of teaching. Six years clears the 54-month minimum, and the internship arrangement and English medium of your programme are what count. Graduates then sit the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force).
Nalchik has a mild climate by Russian standards. Summer highs run 23°C to 26°C from June to August, and winter highs 1°C to 4.5°C with lows around minus 6°C. Snow falls between October and April.
The programme runs six years, with clinical rotations and practical training in the later years, and ends in the state Primary Accreditation examination. Russia has had no separate internship year after graduation since 2016.
At the university's own University Clinic on Ulitsa Nogmova, operating since 2016, and at the Republican Clinical Hospital, the Republican Children's Clinical Hospital, the Perinatal Centre, the Cardiological Centre and the republic's specialist dispensaries.
RAEX-100 placed Kabardino-Balkarian State University 82nd among Russian universities in 2026, up from 89th in 2025 and 99th in 2024, its best position in nine years. It does not appear in the QS or Times Higher Education world rankings.
Foreign-issued Visa and Mastercard cards do not work in Russia, so students open a Russian bank account and use a Mir card. Tuition goes by transfer to the university's own account, for example through Sberbank's India remittance service, which converts rupees to roubles.