Russia-Ukraine War: Stranded Indian students face water shortage, fear network disruption

NEW DELHI: Muhammad Tabish, holed up in his rented apartment in Poltava, Ukraine, had just been told by teachers at the medical college he is attending that communication networks might be disconnected soon. Water is running out; explosions are sending anxiety soaring and everyone is stuck.

Around 300 Indian students are stranded in Poltava, in central Ukraine, since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 and see no way out. “In this city, everyone is stuck,” Tabish told Careers360 over phone, “There is no one for us here”. From Meerut, he is a fourth-year student at the Poltava State Medical University.

For Tabish, it’s all a bit surreal. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has asked citizens to pick up arms. Every time an explosion is heard, he finds explanations on his WhatsApp group for Indians in Ukraine – “Dear Poltava residents! Quietly! As soon as you heard the explosions, it was our territorial defense that shot down the drone. Thanks for understanding! Let's hold on! Follow the news!” Another message, clearly intended to reassure, says: “Our troops shot down drones over Poltova."

Message Muhammad Tabish received about the attack on PoltavaTabish, of course, would much rather leave.

Shaheen Ali, in the fifth year of medicine at Bogomolets National Medical University in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, tried to. He bought a ticket for India for February 26 soon after Russia invaded. But Ukraine closed its airspace for civilian flights trapping him, one of about 16,000 Indians, within the country. That was on February 24. Since then, Indian embassies in Ukraine and neighbouring countries have been trying to get students who have made it to a border out via Romania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia.

No way out

Ali’s parents and friends back home in Malappuram, Kerala, were terrified. The state has 2,320 of its citizens in Ukraine. “I had booked the tickets but now that Ukraine’s airbase is destroyed, we are following whatever the embassy is asking us to do. They have asked us to either go back to the university and take refuge in bunkers or metro stations and railway stations which have bunkers,” he told Careers360 from his apartment in Kyiv, about 10 km from the medical college.

Another student, Mohammad Al Ameen, also from Malappuram and in fifth year of medicine said that leaving town and accessing the bunker were both difficult. The roads were congested as thousands of Kyiv residents tried to leave. “We have to walk at least 10 kilometres to reach the university or the nearest bunker,” said Ameen, whose ticket back to India was booked for February 28.

Even till Thursday, shops were open and the students had supplies to last them a few days.

When it comes to food and medicine, the students say that supermarkets and shops are functioning as usual and they have enough to last them at least for a few more days.

‘So, so scared’

Shariq Bhai from Meerut, in the sixth and final year of medicine at a Kyiv medical college was just a few months away from completing his degree. “By June I would have completed my studies. Now things are so uncertain,” said Shariq.

“But now we are so, so scared, we just want to go back to India. I am not bothered about missing my studies. I need to escape from this place, that is my only concern”, said Priya, another student from Meerut, in fourth year at a Kyiv medical college.

However, Ali is concerned about missing his studies. Medical education abroad implies significant investments and his parents have spent a lot. “Whatever the situation is, the university will continue with the classes be it offline or online. They are very focused when it comes to studies. Practical classes, we are missing. They are saying we should concentrate on theory but they are continuing with the classes.”