Ukraine crisis: ‘The Indian government did not do enough to help us’

It was first on February 24 when Aanchal had first realised that the situation has become serious and the city was converting into a war zone. “We started getting advisories from the government asking us to be safe but there came a time when it became impossible to get out of Kyiv. The Indian Embassy then told us to find any mode of transport possible – bus, train or cab – and get out of the city to the western parts of Ukraine,” she said.

On February 28, Aanchal and a few of her friends left their accommodation to reach the local train station. “It was difficult to even board a train as they were giving priority to Ukrainian citizens. We somehow managed to find space at around 6.30 pm in the evening on a train which took us to Lviv. After a struggle of life and death for days, I finally knew I was safe.”

While escaping, all she could carry was a small backpack that held her jacket and a blanket. “I had a home and life there. My apartment was full of furniture, my personal belongings, clothes, books…all I could bring out was something to help me protect myself in the low temperatures. I did not even have a change of clothes.”

From Lviv, she travelled to Uzhhorod, the westmost part of Ukraine, which is close to the borders of Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. “My friends and I planned to leave from the Hungary border. We took a taxi to cross the border and arrived safely in Hungary within 45 minutes. I had been travelling non-stop but felt safer,” she says.

In Hungary, the local police helped them and took them to Budapest. “In Budapest, we waited for information from the Indian government. We were finally able to
leave Hungary on Friday.”

However, Aanchal said that students were deeply disappointed by the lack of measures undertaken by the Indian government. “Apart from flights that were arranged for us, we did everything on our expenses and at our risk. The government did not provide us with any help otherwise. We crossed the border ourselves, took the trains ourselves. We could do nothing but follow the advisories. The embassy numbers were impossible to connect with as many people must have been calling them. We had expected the government to help us but other than the advisories, there was nothing for us. Evacuation means getting us out of the war zone. We needed their help inside the city as well,” she said.

A weak government advisory, expensive flight prices and academic schedule were prime reasons due to which she delayed taking a flight sooner. “The government advisory which had been issued before the situation became serious read said that it was not mandatory for us to leave. They never told us to leave strictly. The situation between Russia and Ukraine had been delicate for several years and we did not expect it to move past the borders. At the time, booking a ticket for Rs 80,000 felt unnecessary. Had the embassy reduced costs or offered chartered flights we would have thought of leaving but soon after it became impossible for us to leave,” she said.

“It was the most horrifying experience of my life. We were scared for our lives. I do not think I have ever been so scared. Each time we would hear sirens or bomb blasts near us, we would fear if we would even be alive the next moment,” Aanchal recounted.

While she is happy to be back home with her family, Aanchal has mixed feelings about it all. “I am happy and grateful to have returned safe but I am scared about the future of Ukraine. It is a beautiful country.”