How Are The Indians Struggling In Ukraine
The videos of Indian students in Ukraine during the Russian invasion show them asking for help on how to return home. While some students have stayed inside their apartments, others have retreated to underground metro rail stations which could serve as bomb shelters. Approximately 16,000 Indians are currently in Ukraine, mostly students.
A video has been posted on YouTube in which an Indian student has requested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath make swift arrangements to evacuate Indians. Manish Jaiswal, a student from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, studies medicine in Ukraine.
We are helpless since three bombs have struck since morning. There is a shortage of supplies. Air routes are shut down. I request that the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister make arrangements for evacuation of Indians as soon as possible,” Mr Jaiswal said in the video shot in his apartment. Jaiswal did not mention what city, if any, he is staying in Ukraine.
Even though underground metro trains have no floors, people can be seen sitting on them in a video posted by another Indian student. Nilesh Jain, a student in western Ukraine’s Ternopil, says he and his classmates have been stuck at the metro station for more than 30 hours.
There is a poor internet connection. We can hear bombs exploding. Please help us. Please ask Prime Minister Modi to evacuate us quickly from here,” Mr Jain said.
Koo’s video shows an Indian student from Gujarat complaining that ATMs and shops are packed, and everyone seems frantic. “Students who had booked flights to India couldn’t get home because their flights were cancelled after Ukraine closed its airspace,” the student explained.
Earlier yesterday morning, a flight chartered by Air India was forced to return midway due to an emergency evacuation. In response, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has asked people to turn away and return to the cities they live in if they were heading toward Kyiv.
Ukraine has been bombarded with missiles that have targeted major cities including Kyiv. In Ukraine, Russian ground forces have crossed from various directions, and explosions have been heard in cities along the coast.
In a recent speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the invasion was to defend separatists in eastern Siberia against “genocide”.
Indian officials issued the third advisory for their nationals and students in Ukraine on Thursday as Russia launched a full-scale attack on the country earlier this afternoon.
When air sirens are heard or bomb warnings are given, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine advises its nationals to seek shelter in bomb shelters.
The embassy informed the public that Ukraine is currently under martial law, making movement nearly impossible.
The government of Ukraine has imposed martial law since Russia attacked the country.
A video Zelenskiy posted on his Telegram channel concluded, “Russia has attacked our military infrastructure and our border guards. Explosions have been heard in many cities, and we are imposing martial law across the entire territory of our country.”
In its report, the Indian embassy said that it was in touch with lodging establishments to accommodate students, who do not yet have a place to stay in Kyiv.
Further, the embassy has advised the nationals, especially the students, to be aware of their surroundings, and advise them not to leave their homes unless necessary.
There have been tensions between Ukraine and Russia dating back to 2014, to be precise. A pro-Russian president was deposed in Ukraine, and Russia invaded and occupied large portions of the east.
14 thousand innocent civilians died in the process.
Now, several years later, we see why history seems to be repeating itself once again as we see Russia and Ukraine on the brink of war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Wednesday a “special military operation” in the country’s troubled Donbas region, ordering troops into two rebel-held eastern regions to “maintain peace”. According to reports, more than 200,000 troops have been deployed near Ukraine’s border. This means that Russia has already begun its ‘invasion’ of Ukraine.
This statement is made after a certain video of a bombing attack went viral on Twitter, where an Indian in Ukraine showed a video of a big cloud of smoke following an explosion.
In the clip, there is an air of solemnity in the air, and the faint sound of sirens can be heard in the background, giving anyone watching it chills.
An Indian national was in the country when the invasion started, and the video was posted on a microblogging site where the user used the phrase, “Ho Gaya Bhai Russia versus Ukraine start.”.
What happens when you sleep in Ukraine but wake up in Russia
There have been several comments on the video that say things such as, “that’s the war siren going off”, or “hope he is okay”, wishing everyone in Ukraine a safe and prosperous future. It also appears that there is some confusion about whether it is fear or excitement in his voice since one user has even commented: “The chill he’s got is God-level.”
In the meantime, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has posted that Russia is attempting to attack Ukraine’s military infrastructure, but he has urged citizens not to panic for the country will win through the end of this crisis.
The American president, on the other hand, condemns the act as well as urging other world leaders to speak out against the “flagrant aggression” being displayed by Putin.
“President Putin has decided to fight a premeditated war which will cause catastrophic losses of human life.”, he said.
Taking a united and decisive stance, the United States and its allies and partners will respond to this attack and prevent the death and destruction that this will bring.
Russia was invading Ukraine as of 5 pm this evening, and the Indian Embassy issued its third advisory on guidelines for Indians since this morning. “We are aware that some areas are hearing air sirens and bomb warnings.
In case of such an emergency, google maps have a list of nearby bomb shelters, many of which are located in underground metros,” the embassy stated. Here’s the link to the official Kyiv administration’s website for those in Kyiv, according to the embassy.
There are approximately 18000 Indians in Ukraine, many of whom are students. The Air India flight that had been sent for evacuation took off at 7:30 am but had to return after Ukraine closed its airspace for commercial flights.
“Since the Ukrainian air space has been closed, we have stopped bringing back Indians via flights. We are planning alternative methods of getting Indians back to their country. The Ministry of External Affairs plans to send more diplomats to assist the Indian Embassy in Ukraine.” said V Muraleedharan, the junior foreign minister.
“I spoke to Malyali students in Ukraine by telephone.
Indian students in the southern areas of Ukraine have told us that they are getting food, water, and power. Students and parents should not panic. Our government has already brought back Indians from places like Iraq.
The central government will ensure the safety of Indians, there can be no doubt about that. The control room has been expanded, more telephone numbers have been given.”
During an early televised address to his country, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would launch military operations against Ukraine. The Russian government claims to have destroyed Ukrainian military airbases and air defence systems since then.
Several cities in Ukraine have been targeted by missiles, including the capital, Kyiv. A large number of Russian military forces crossed into Ukraine from different directions, and explosions were heard in several cities near the coast.
People headed to Kyiv earlier today were asked by the Indian embassy to turn back and return to the cities in which they reside.
Earlier this evening, Prime Minister Modi met with the Finance Minister, the Defence Minister and other senior colleagues to discuss the fallout from the Ukraine crisis.
The meeting will devote a significant amount of time to developing an evacuation strategy for Indians in Ukraine. In photos posted on social media, students were gathered outside the embassy with suitcases on their backs.
The Ukrainian military says it has killed “around 50 Russian occupiers” while repelling an attack on a town on the frontline against rebels backed by Moscow.
In his speech, President Putin claimed that the invasion was meant to protect separatists in the east of the country against “genocide”.
edited and proofread by nikita sharma
