As Russia hit the city of Kharkiv in Ukraine with airstrikes on Friday, Sheetal, an Indian student, hunkered down in a bunker with her peers waiting for word from the Indian Government. “We are in Kharkiv. There are almost 1,000 students in Kharkiv where the war is going on. But no action has been taken from India yet. We are in a bunker,” she said. She did not have enough charge on her phone to talk.
Indian students trapped in East Ukraine, which is bearing the brunt of Russia’s attack, are desperate to leave. “ A message being circulated by stranded students said, “People on the east side of Ukraine are in constant fear from the tremors and sound of the apparent shelling. We are not going to criticise anyone or think that any life is less than ours, but action or evacuation needs to be taken where it is required the most.”
Back home, parents of students from Karnataka who are pursuing their education in Ukraine have their eyes and ears glued to the latest developments in the war zone. K.K. Manjunath from Kushalnagar, whose son Chandan M. Gowda is in his third year of medicine at Kharkiv National Medical University in Ukraine, said, “My son and a few others from Karnataka have been holed up in an apartment since Thursday. They are also alerted by the local authorities to move to either bunkers, the metro station or to the basement in case of any impending danger,” said Mr. Manjunath.
Speaking to the media at Kemmannu near Malpe in Udupi on Friday, Melvin and Ida Fernandes, parents of Glenwill Fernandes, urged the Centre to act swiftly. Ms. Fernandes said that her son had been to Ukraine 10 days ago. He started attending the class at Town National Medical University in Ukraine only on February 23. The university informed students about the war on February 24, she said, adding that her son spoke about hearing explosions.
A total of 43 students from Bombay-Karnataka region too are stuck in Ukraine, and they are said to be safe, having taken shelter in an apartment building basement.
