KOCHI: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Tuesday urged Indian students in Kharkiv, a Ukrainian city near the Russian border, to remain in bunkers until the Indian Embassy makes arrangement for their transportation out of the country.
He made the appeal during an online interaction with parents of students from Kannur and Kasaragod who are stuck in Kharkiv. The appeal came on the day an Indian student was killed in heavy shelling by Russian forces in the city. He told the parents that though the Russian border is just 40km away, it is impossible to transport students by road due to heavy shelling.
“The foreign secretary has met ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to provide safe passage to Indian students. There is shortage of food, water and medicine in Kharkiv and we are in talks with Ukraine government and Red Cross. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine is communicating with Indian students via phone and WhatsApp. We understand the anxiety of the parents, but we will have to wait until the situation improves,” Muraleedharan said during the interaction.
He said as of Tuesday, 2,012 people stuck in Ukraine have been brought home safely. “There are 4,000 Indians in Kharkiv and Sumy where there is heavy fighting. Of the 4,000 Indians in Kyiv, a majority has been evacuated,” he said.
Tony Jacob of Kasaragod said his son Tinu Jacob, who was in Kyiv, had reached Lviv with a batch of students. Some students have proceeded to Romania while another batch has left for Hungary. Muraleedharan said they can reach Hungary, Poland or Slovakia through Uzhhorod.
Nadira of Kanhangad said her son was living in a bunker for the past seven days and the embassy had not made arrangements for his transportation. The minister advised her to tell her son to remain in the bunker as safety is the prime concern. Steps will be taken for evacuation as situation improves, he said.