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GUWAHATI: With Sumy air reverberating with sounds of shelling, World War-II era bunkers are the only hope for around 40 Indian nationals, including 15 medical students from Assam, stranded in the northeastern Ukrainian city, barely 50 miles from the Russian border.
For those stranded in the northeastern region of Ukraine, it is a journey of more than 1,500 km to reach the borders of Hungary, Romania and Poland, which are giving refuge to the evacuees.
Guwahati boy Devraj Bhuyan said they have been staying in the bunkers at night with other foreigners since February 26.
“The bunkers were built on Heroiv Krut Street where our apartment is located and these have been handy during war times since WW-II. After a long time, the bunkers are being used. They were cleaned and the electricity supply was restored. We have sleeping arrangements for around 20 people but it’s not possible to study in the dim light,” he said, adding children, elderly people and women are being given priority to stay in the bunkers.
The Assamese students of Sumy State University said the local people are taking special care of the stranded foreigners. “I was staying in a rented accommodation with three Nigerian students. But I was asked by a local lady to hide in the bunker,” said Devraj.
After failing to get any evacuation assurance from the Indian embassy, the students have stocked ration items for a month with supplies drying up in shops. “From 6 pm there is a curfew in Sumy. The situation is very tense. Long queues are being witnessed in pharmacies also,” Devraj said.
Another Assam student, Bishal Das, was recently asked to get shifted to another hostel away from the countryside where intense fighting is on. “Usually people in the countryside are more rebellious. Our former hostel was close to the countryside where big explosions are being heard constantly,” he said.
“Wherever the locals see the Russian army, they attack. Many soldiers are roaming the streets in civilian clothes. It’s difficult to differentiate, which side they are from,” Bishal added.
Around 20 foreign students, including Indians, have been taking shelter in a bunker with Bishal since Monday night. “We could not find any train from Sumy to the western border. Roads are unsafe,” Bishal said.
As many as 15 students from Assam, studying mostly in western Ukraine cities close to the Hungary-Romania border, were evacuated till Tuesday noon.
For those stranded in the northeastern region of Ukraine, it is a journey of more than 1,500 km to reach the borders of Hungary, Romania and Poland, which are giving refuge to the evacuees.
Guwahati boy Devraj Bhuyan said they have been staying in the bunkers at night with other foreigners since February 26.
“The bunkers were built on Heroiv Krut Street where our apartment is located and these have been handy during war times since WW-II. After a long time, the bunkers are being used. They were cleaned and the electricity supply was restored. We have sleeping arrangements for around 20 people but it’s not possible to study in the dim light,” he said, adding children, elderly people and women are being given priority to stay in the bunkers.
The Assamese students of Sumy State University said the local people are taking special care of the stranded foreigners. “I was staying in a rented accommodation with three Nigerian students. But I was asked by a local lady to hide in the bunker,” said Devraj.
After failing to get any evacuation assurance from the Indian embassy, the students have stocked ration items for a month with supplies drying up in shops. “From 6 pm there is a curfew in Sumy. The situation is very tense. Long queues are being witnessed in pharmacies also,” Devraj said.
Another Assam student, Bishal Das, was recently asked to get shifted to another hostel away from the countryside where intense fighting is on. “Usually people in the countryside are more rebellious. Our former hostel was close to the countryside where big explosions are being heard constantly,” he said.
“Wherever the locals see the Russian army, they attack. Many soldiers are roaming the streets in civilian clothes. It’s difficult to differentiate, which side they are from,” Bishal added.
Around 20 foreign students, including Indians, have been taking shelter in a bunker with Bishal since Monday night. “We could not find any train from Sumy to the western border. Roads are unsafe,” Bishal said.
As many as 15 students from Assam, studying mostly in western Ukraine cities close to the Hungary-Romania border, were evacuated till Tuesday noon.
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