INDIA “We Shall Die Of Cold, If Not Bombs”: Many Indian Students Stay Back In Ukraine As Uncertainty Prevails
Almost 20,000 Indians are stranded in Ukraine that is seeing a heavy military intervention from Russia.

IN ODESSA, a city in southern Ukraine, Zafar Ali, an Indian student had hired an accommodation just a few kilometers from the coast of the Black Sea. The last time, this reporter talked to him, Zafar had his backpack ready and was to move towards the Polish border along with his classmate.

As they waited for the dawn to break, loud crackling noise rocked the whole of Odessa. “I watched out of the window, there were balls of fire all over. Russia had apparently attacked the port,” he said, as he sent us visuals of fire shimmering across the sea.

Almost 20,000 Indians are stranded in Ukraine that is seeing a heavy military intervention from Russia. Putin, as reports say, is aiming to capture Kyiv, the capital.

“This jolted us. Since the beginning of this whole violence, Odessa did not even witness a single gunshot, but reports are saying that a whole Turkish ship has been bombarded. Since this happened, we are too scared to leave,” he told India Ahead.

With limited options for Indian students to be evacuated through the land, chances of leaving Ukraine are reducing as Russia expands its intervention.

For those on the eastern side, this looks like an impossibility. The tens of students that India Ahead spoke to from Kharkiv, a hotbed of Russian airstrikes, are unable to even walk from one building to another.

Navrose, an Indian student who earlier talked to India Ahead as the assault began, says airstrikes are increasing with passing time. “But the Ukrainians here in our hostel premises are making sure that we stay comfortable,” she said.

Markets Running Dry
The markets in Ukraine have already been shut. Few of the stores that had opened amid the shelling went dry in minutes as they opened. Berkhaiz Bhat, an Indian student who sent us a video of a similar Super Mart with empty shelves, says the supplies will barely last a few days.

“We are literally unable to move out of the basement itself for 36 hours, leave alone moving out of the building. I don’t know, how are these locals arranging food for us, when there is a non-stop bombing outside,” said Navrose who is confined to a hostel basement with 500 more Indian students.

In Odessa, Ali says everyone is trying to stay strong as their last hope to get out through Romania appears to be dimming as Russia advances. “Though, there have been repeated blasts, the shops in the market are open. No doubt, there are long queues, but amid all fear, from groceries to medicines, the locals are helping everyone with everything,” he said.

In eastern Ukraine, another student wishing anonymity says the dean of their college has been supportive more than anyone. “He assured us to stay. Though we are not even part of the college hostel group, they allowed us in a basement,” he said.

Indian Govt “Not Doing Enough”
Aryan Choudhary from Uttar Pradesh, who is also stationed in Odessa, says the Indian government itself has not done much to negotiate with the Moldovian government to allow the entry of Indian students. It is the local agents that are trying to take us to the Romanian border in busses. “Along with them, our Indian consultants who got us admitted here in the college are trying to convince Moldova authorities too.”

“We too had planned to leave this morning. But given the attacks, the warden did not let us out. Out of the 800 Indian students here, few have arranged for the busses to the Romanian border but the route, they were supposed to take has been declared unsafe,” he said.

Not Everyone Can “Afford” To Return
Meanwhile, Aryan says that not everyone can afford to go back despite an option. “We could have easily left earlier too but the Indian government asked us to pay Rs 60,000 for each student to be brought back to India which is why many like me could not afford it.”

“The government wanted to earn out of crisis too,” he said.

He added that the land evacuation options too are not that viable. It is not just about safety. “The bus travel from Odessa is costing us over Rs 20,000 for each student up to the Romanian border. We don’t even know, whether they would allow us in or not and what happens next. The temperatures are dropping. It is minus all over Odessa. If they refuse us entry, we won’t have money for any money for food or stay. Where shall we go with all the luggage? We shall die of cold, if not bombs,” he added.


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Ukrainian military tries to prevent Indian students from leaving.

Students from Kerala, India have reported that the Ukrainian military fired in the air, beat students up, and rammed cars into their midst to prevent them from crossing the border to Poland.

Meanwhile, black students in Ukraine are being turned away or delayed entry to Poland, and the Bulgarian Prime Minister has welcomed white refugees.

This is what you get with the revival of white supremacism, racism and neo-Nazism in post-Soviet Eastern Europe.

(Video with English subtitles)

https://www.facebook.com/556802779/posts/10160379999322780/?d=w

Hiding in basements’: Thousands of Lebanese trapped in Ukraine
Members of the 4,500-strong Lebanese community in Ukraine plead for evacuation help as Russia continues attacking neighbouring country.