Ukraine war: Indian students in Pisochyn say they need help immediately
A group of Indian students in conflict-hit eastern Ukraine have appealed for help to take them to the western border, from where they can cross into a neighbouring country and possibly take an evacuation home.
The students have been at Pisochyn since the last two days, after an urgent advisory by the government of India asking them to leave second-biggest city Kharkiv, which has been constantly pounded by Russian missiles and artillery. The students have said they haven't eaten in two days. there is heavy snowfall in the area and the temperature is in minus degrees, the students said.
"We are stuck here for two days without food or water. There are some 1,000 students stranded here. The contractors are asking for $500 to $700 to take a bus to Lviv," one of the students said in a video message. "We haven't got any update from the embassy," he added.
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine, from where the border is not very far.
"We have been told that if we can't take the bus, we should walk to the railway station and take a train out of the city," another student said. "But whoever we contacted in the embassy told us to stay put and not walk as it is dangerous. We don't know what to do," he said.
"We are getting conflicting information. Nothing is clear. The embassy says, 'we are doing, we are doing'. But what? The temperature is dropping fast. You can see snowfall here," the first student said.
"Please take us home anyhow," said the second student.
The Indian embassy last week warned of intense fighting in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv. Reports say trains and buses have stopped running in Sumy, roads and bridges out of the city have been destroyed, and there is heavy street fighting.
The government has flown home thousands of Indian students who have managed to reach the western border in Ukraine. It has said it would operate as many evacuation flights as needed under Operation Ganga and flights are the least of the worries.
How the students would reach the western border from cities deep inside Ukraine is the biggest worry.