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Journalism of Courage
Hundreds of Indian students in Ukraine have been stranded at the Poland border for more than 48 hours amid freezing cold with “no response from the Indian embassy” to their calls and messages.
The students, who have been thronging to the Shehyni-Medyka border by foot since Friday hoping that they would be evacuated from Ukraine amidst the ongoing Russian invasion, describe the present situation at the border as “horrendous and insane” and said that Indians were not being allowed to cross over to Poland by the authorities whereas Ukrainians were allowed.
The Embassy of India in Warsaw (Poland) had earlier issued an advisory asking students who want to be evacuated to reach the Shehyni-Medyka border by foot or bus/taxi.
Spending freezing nights out in the open — in parks and on roads with temperature touching minus five degrees celsius in the night — the students are now burning trash to light bonfires and survive in the biting cold even as some have developed hypothermia.
An MBBS student from Ternopil who reached the border Saturday evening after walking for over 50 km told The Indian Express over phone: “There are just queues and queues of Indian students here but Polish authorities are not putting a stamp on our passports. They are allowing Ukrainians to cross over but not us. The situation here is horrendous, to say the least. The Indian embassy officials are not responding to our calls. No one is helping us… no one. Where should we go?”
She added that she reached the border after travelling in a bus from Ternopil for a few kilometres and then walking for over 50 km. “We are feeling like animals right now, lying amid filth on roads and burning trash to light a bonfire to save ourselves from biting cold.”
Another student said: “Most students slept in the open for the whole night, on parks and roads. Some were given shelter by local Ukrainians but most had no option but to sleep in the open in this freezing cold. Why were we asked to come here by the embassy when there were no arrangements yet to evacuate students via Poland. It is not easy to walk 30-50 km and then sleep in the open.”
Some students who reached the Polish border Saturday have now returned to their apartments or rooms in Lviv and Ternopil after witnessing chaos at the border. “We are now hiding in bunkers and basements whenever we hear bombing or siren sounds,” said a student who returned from the Poland border after waiting for over 30 hours there.
“Poland is not allowing any Indian students via Shehyni Medyka border and only allowing Ukraine citizens to Cross the border. The condition is very serious. There was firing of the military because of the total chaos,” tweeted a person whose sister is stranded at the border.
Some students also alleged that Ukrainian officials and military have now changed their attitude towards Indians as they believe that India lends its support to Russia in the conflict. “Locals are helpful but not Ukrainian military and officials. They are turning down Indians whereas people of other countries are being helped,” a student alleged.
Most students stranded at the Poland border have also run out of their phone batteries making it difficult for families to reach them.
A first-year MBBS student from Lviv, told The Indian Express over phone: “I, my cousin and around a hundred other students from our university had reached the border Friday night after walking for over 30 kms. We spent more than 48 hours in the open, but there was no help. In fact, with passing time, the behavior of the Ukrainian army towards Indians is only getting harsher. They even tried to snatch my phone when I was making a video call to my parents. After spending two nights at the border, we are now in a shelter home— some 8 kms from the border– which locals have provided us. There is no response from the Indian Embassy yet. After exposure to such a biting cold, many of us have gotten sick and we decided to return today after there was no visible change in situation. There isn’t even any space to sit there and whenever a vehicle full of Ukrainians arrive, Indians are pushed back.”
Ashok, a student from Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, who was stranded at Poland border for third consecutive day Sunday, said: “Indian boys are not being allowed to cross over and are pushed as soon as we try. They started allowing Indian girls today but for boys, there’s no way out yet. It is my third day today at the border and third night out in open without any shelter, in this freezing cold. Even as we are still on Ukrainian side, there’s no arrangement of food, water or even a tent by Indian Embassy. Maybe we aren’t humans for them. Students of other countries are crossing over but not Indians especially boys.”
Meanwhile, in a fresh advisory Sunday late, for evacuation via Poland, the Embassy said: “We have arranged 10 buses at Shehyni on Ukrainian side of the border that will take Indian citizens to other border checkpoints from transit entry into Poland.. These buses will be operational from 28th February 2022….. and will drive them to the residential accommodation arranged by the Embassy of Rszeszow, Poland. This will reduce the crowd at Shehyni and also provide Indian citizens a safe environment away from the cold. This facility will be paid for by the Government of India…In case you do not get a seat on the bus, please do not be agitated as this operation will continue till everyone is evacuated.”
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