Vijayawada: Poignant time for Telugu students in eastern Ukraine

Vijayawada: Telugu students who are studying in Kharkiv National Medical University in eastern Ukraine bordering Russia are worried about the safe return. The students are taking shelter in the bunkers and basements in the hostel buildings, near apartments and the metro railway station. With Russian invasion and bombardment, they are hearing sounds of bombardment, gunfire and explosions for the last three days. It is estimated that around 30 students from Telugu states are stranded at the Kharkiv university about 25 km from Russia.

The plight of Kharkiv university students is entirely different from the students studying in the western Ukraine. The students of western Ukraine can easily cross border to reach Poland or Romania.

Kharkiv is located about 500 km from the Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The stranded Telugu students at Kharkiv have to travel to Bucharest, capital of Romania, to board the flight to come back to India. Flight operations from Kyiv were suspended since war began on February 24. The students have no option but to travel to Poland or Romania to board the flights.

Bucharest is located about 1,200 km from Kharkiv. They have to travel 20 hours by bus to reach Bucharest and board the Air India flight being operated by Indian government from Bucharest. When the intense battle is continuing in Kharkiv it is not safe to travel to Bucharest. The local government authorities are asking the students and local residents not to come out of bunkers and basements, said Seelam Radhika a student from Vijayawada. Radhika is studying third year MBBS in Kharkiv Medical National University and one of the Telugu students stranded in Kharkiv city, which is the second largest in Ukraine with a population of 1.5 million.

Telugu students from two Telugu states study Medicine in Kharkiv Medical National University enjoy comfortable living and pursue education. But, Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 had created panic among the students. Radhika and other Telugu students are panicked about their future. She told The Hans India that they have bread for only two days. "Except bread we don't have any thing to eat," said Radhika. She said they are taking shelter at Metro rail station and visiting the hostel for taking food. Radhika lamented that there are no basic amenities like washrooms in the underground metro rail station. She said a large number of local residents are taking shelter in metro rail station.

The stranded students are in touch with their parents in two Telugu states and updating them on their condition. The local residents are spending time in panic with loud explosions being heard many times a day, said Radhika.

K Srinivasa Rao, maternal uncle of Radhika, said only the Russian government can help the Indian students. He said the Indian government should take assurance from the Russian government that bus carrying Indian students with Indian flag would not be attacked. He said there is some consolation that the Indian government has started flight operations from Romania to lift the stranded Indian students studying in Ukraine. He said the reports of war are very embarrassing but there is a hope that the students will return safely to two Telugu states.