Stuck in govt building, dollars running out: Indian students' ordeal in Ukraine

A view of the deserted city centre of Lviv, in western Ukraine, where 15 Indian students have taken shelter in a government building.  Credit: DH Photo

Wailing sirens, roaring fighter jets, local authorities warning about possible aerial attacks, panic-stricken people stocking up on groceries in building cellars... this was how daily life looked like in Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine, on Thursday.

About 15 students from India, among them a Bengalurean, have been stranded in Lviv without any help. In a state of panic, the students have taken shelter in a government building located opposite the mayor’s office in downtown Lviv.

“Almost all bunkers are filled with elders, women and kids. Though the city is safe from bombings, for now, we don’t know when we will come under attack,” said Mohammed Ali Aamir, a student and resident of Basavanagudi.

Also Read | Indians in Ukraine advised to find bomb shelters if air sirens are heard

Aamir has been pursuing a second-year veterinary science degree at Lviv National Stepan Gzhytsky University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology.

Though the group managed to contact the Indian embassy in Ukraine, it has yet to receive help. According to Aamir, embassy officials are unable to evacuate them because the Ukrainian airspace has been blocked and there’s no word yet from the higher authorities.

Cash is also in short supply as several banks have come under attack. Another student said: “No credit card issued in India is being accepted here and our dollars are running out. There is an absolute rush everywhere. People are flocking to supermarkets and stocking up on groceries and water but the supplies are running low.”

Also read: Maintain calm, remain safe wherever you are: Indian embassy in Ukraine to Indians

The students have pooled money to buy rice, dry fruits and bottled water enough to last a week. “We don’t know what will happen. We just want to get out of the city at the earliest,” Aamir said.

Though the Polish border is just 40 km from Lviv and it’s open to Indians, the students neither have the means to get there nor is the journey safe. “We have been asking locals and our seniors to hire some cars and bikes to reach the border and cross into Poland. We can fly out of there,” Aamir said.

“We have been really worried for the last two days as the situation has become worse,” said Nadeem, Aamir’s father.

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