Telugus' ordeals in crossing border

Visakhapatnam/Hyderabad: The Government of India has started the process of evacuation of Indians particularly the students who are stranded in Ukraine following the invasion by Russia.

The first batch of students who have left Ukraine by bus under escort to Poland will have to travel about 1,200 km before they can be airlifted. At least 40 students reached Poland

Twenty-four hours before, the operation evacuation began, the students had to spend the night in the bunkers, Metro stations and hostels in the war-torn Ukraine. These students are in different parts of Ukraine. However, with the first batch leaving for Poland, they now see the light at the end of the tunnel. Those who have been stranded in the east part of the Ukraine have to travel not less than 1,600 km to reach Hungary.

As a part of the evacuation exercise, India has sent a team from the embassy to help facilitate exit for the nationals from the crisis-hit country. A number of Telugu students are studying in Kharkiv National Medical University. Those pursuing their studies in this institution have to either reach Hungary or Poland in order to access an evacuation flight.

Although respite comes to those staying close to the border area as some of them managed to board the flight, it is a long struggle for the students staying in other parts of Ukraine to access transport facilities to reach either the border. "Apparently, we have no idea how to reach Hungary or Poland to board the flight," worries Reddy Nomula Satya Sreeja, an MBBS student, when The Hans India team contacted to check the status.

Even on Friday morning, the students studying in Kharkiv heard bombing from close quarters. "In such a situation, we have absolutely no clue about how to reach the border to access the evacuation flight as we need to travel a minimum 1,000-km to 1,600-km. And it would take over 15 hours by road," adds Sreeja.