Ukraine crisis: No way out for Indian students, 3 checkposts ahead, borders yet too far

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Fifty one students including 14 from Madhya Pradesh who alighted from the bus they had boarded from Ternopil to reach Romanian border at 4.15 pm (7.45 pm IST) on Saturday evening have been waiting for a passage, they said over phone. They walked towards the border to get into into the country. They had left Ternopil for Romania border at 10.30 am (2 pm IST).

But, the students who have reached the borders have been asked to allow the girls and pregnant women to cross the border first and they are compliant, they said.

They have been searching for shelters all night around the border areas and they managed to have one, they added.

The students had booked a private bus for Rs 1.28 lakh for 51 students, paying about Rs 2,500 (1000 UAH) per head, said 5th year MBBS student Aabhas Parihar, who is from Bhopal.

The students are carrying Indian flags in their hands to avoid difficulty with the soldiers, enroute. They have bottled water of at least 5 litres each and instant food packets.

“We cannot contain our relief and happiness that we're finally leaving Ukraine. Though it's a first step, it has cost us fortune, we are hopeful to see the dawn of the next day in a free atmosphere and reach home,” said Parihar..

“We emailed our details to the embassy. We have requested them to arrange for our evacuation from borders. The embassy could not arrange for our interstate travel here. But I hope they pull us out from the border in time,” he adds.

His friend, Satyam Sabbarwal, said, “We are hopeful. Though our friends and fellow Indians are stuck along Poland and Romania borders, we hope, they're rescued before we reach the borders and we are the next to be rescued.”