NEW DELHI: Some are hiding in dark and damp World War II bunkers, trembling every time shells and missiles fly over and explode inside sumi, a Ukrainian city just 60 km northeast of Russia. Some Russians are collecting and melting snow after the bombing, which has broken power and water lines in their hostels. Some people are passing in fear, hunger and mental exhaustion.
They are among at least 800 Indians fighting to be rescued from a city more than 1,500 km from the borders of Hungary, Romania and Poland. Khemchand Raj of Vadodara, Gujarat, said Russia had arranged buses to evacuate Indians from Sumi, whose son Hrithik is one of the students stranded in the beleaguered city. “But Ukrainians are stopping them, saying the buses may be attacked because civilians are also fighting in the conflict.” They fear that Ukrainians may use Indian students as human shields.
Hopes of fleeing fighting among students in Sumi were high when they received a message that they would be evacuated within 48 hours on Tuesday. But hope turned into gloom as the Russian offensive in the city intensified from Thursday. Roads and bridges have been bombed and trains are not running to check the Russian advance. Sumi herself is mad. Saving those in Sumi will be a formidable challenge and a major area of concern, as acknowledged by the government.
A student from Kerala said they cannot go out without the approval of Ukrainian authorities to reach the Russian border where Indian officials have been waiting since Wednesday. “Busses are ready to take us to Sujada (Russian border). It takes about an hour,” said fourth year medical student Ahmed Zakir Hussain. Even if they are cleared, they undergo intense shelling and gunfire, and may run into bandits robbing foreigners.
The students have no choice: the place is constantly being bombed, they survive on subsistence rations. Videos of students at Sumy State University collecting ice and melting it to drink and cook were shared on social media on Friday. One student said, “If we do not die because of the war, we will surely die of lack of food and water.” They are sitting ducks if they go out to collect snow or look for food from a nearby lake. “If we step out we will be killed. We have to stop,” said a student.
(inputs Prabin Kalita in Guwahati, Parul Kulshrestha In Jaipur, Shruti Susan Glee Bangalore and in Jayakrishnan Narrows in Kottayam)
They are among at least 800 Indians fighting to be rescued from a city more than 1,500 km from the borders of Hungary, Romania and Poland. Khemchand Raj of Vadodara, Gujarat, said Russia had arranged buses to evacuate Indians from Sumi, whose son Hrithik is one of the students stranded in the beleaguered city. “But Ukrainians are stopping them, saying the buses may be attacked because civilians are also fighting in the conflict.” They fear that Ukrainians may use Indian students as human shields.
Hopes of fleeing fighting among students in Sumi were high when they received a message that they would be evacuated within 48 hours on Tuesday. But hope turned into gloom as the Russian offensive in the city intensified from Thursday. Roads and bridges have been bombed and trains are not running to check the Russian advance. Sumi herself is mad. Saving those in Sumi will be a formidable challenge and a major area of concern, as acknowledged by the government.
A student from Kerala said they cannot go out without the approval of Ukrainian authorities to reach the Russian border where Indian officials have been waiting since Wednesday. “Busses are ready to take us to Sujada (Russian border). It takes about an hour,” said fourth year medical student Ahmed Zakir Hussain. Even if they are cleared, they undergo intense shelling and gunfire, and may run into bandits robbing foreigners.
The students have no choice: the place is constantly being bombed, they survive on subsistence rations. Videos of students at Sumy State University collecting ice and melting it to drink and cook were shared on social media on Friday. One student said, “If we do not die because of the war, we will surely die of lack of food and water.” They are sitting ducks if they go out to collect snow or look for food from a nearby lake. “If we step out we will be killed. We have to stop,” said a student.
(inputs Prabin Kalita in Guwahati, Parul Kulshrestha In Jaipur, Shruti Susan Glee Bangalore and in Jayakrishnan Narrows in Kottayam)