VISAKHAPATNAM: Trapped in Ukraine for five days now, many are seizing every opportunity that comes their way to leave the country at the earliest as Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian cities. A group of 15 Indian students from Vinnytsia, located at a distance of 40 km from the capital Kyiv, has been trying to reach the Poland border using all modes of transport available at their disposal, including train, car and also by walk.
Among the 15 is Narendra Bhoopal Kandregula, who hails from Munagapaka in Visakhapatnam and is an MBBS student at Vinnytsia National Pirogov Memorial Medical University. K Chaitanya, his brother, told TNIE on Monday that Narendra had been in touch with him ever since he took the train route to escape Vinnytsia.
“Initially, 60 students had planned to reach Poland by any means. But 45 of them dropped the idea at the last minute. It took almost three days for my brother and 14 others to cover 350 km and reach Lviv, where they stayed in a house of a common Arab friend. From there, they had to walk 15 km to catch a cab.”
While another student in the group is from Srikakulam, the others are from Bihar, Tamil Nadu and other Indian states. Later, the 15 split into two groups of seven and eight, Chaitanya said.His brother’s group hired a cab and went 30 to 40 km further from Lviv where it stayed at a convention hall. Later, the students continued walking for about 40 km toward the Poland border.
“On Sunday night, they were close to the border. I received the last call from Narendra around midnight and he said there may not be any phone signals hereafter. Narendra also told me that he has already contacted the Embassy officials.”
Chaitanya said he had given some money to Narendra before the latter last left for Ukraine earlier this year, and that is all he has. “Now, the group is left with only 300 to 400 USD.” Chaitanya added he had contacted the state control room, and MP Ramamohan Naidu.
Narendra had also informed his brother that the locals there were helping people cross the border. “They (the locals) have set up free food and tea stalls for people trying to cross the border. Narendra said these stalls reminded him of similar stalls set up during Chandana Yatra in Visakhapatnam.”