Visakhapatnam: over 30 students return from the war zone in Ukraine

They are yet to get over the shock of seeing bombing of cities, air raids and hearing sirens all through the day and night

Telugu students from Visakhapatnam, most of them pursuing medicine in Ukraine, and some of them pursuing other courses like MBA, are yet to get over the shock of seeing the bombing of cities, air raids and hearing sirens all through the day and night.

Over 30 students, hailing from the city and the district, and a few of them from neighbouring Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari districts arrived at Visakhapatnam International Airport by different flights via Delhi from Ukraine during the last one week.

Four students arrived in the Visakhapatnam airport on Friday afternoon, according to Airport Director K. Srinivasa Rao.

While most students had a harrowing experience walking in the biting cold for several kilometres, running out of food and water supplies and discrimination at the hands of the Ukranian police at the borders, a lucky few of them had a smooth travel to the border and were helped by friendly Ukranian volunteers to cross the border.

Jakkala Pravallika, 22, who is pursuing medicine course at BNMU in the capital city of Kyiv, who returned to Visakhapatnam on Friday, was one such lucky Indian students. “We heard the bombing sound at 5 a.m. on February 24 and thought it was a car blast. The second blast occurred a few minutes later and we saw messages on social media that Ukraine was under attack from Russia. Luckily, I and another Indian classmate were staying in an apartment, away from our university campus. The apartment also had a bunker below and the house owner told us that there was nothing to worry,” Ms. Pravallika told The Hindu.

“Those who stayed in the university hostel had to get crammed in the bunkers as there were hundreds of students there. We stocked groceries to last at least for 15 days and did not venture out. On the advisory issued by the Indian Embassy officials, we decided to return to India on February 28. We took a train to Kovel and were lucky to find Ukranian volunteers, who helped us by sending us by a school bus. There were hundreds of people of different nationalities, waiting in queues to cross the border. Luckily, our bus was allowed to pass through into Poland. The Indian Embassy officials took good care of us,” she added.

Pallanti Aruna Kumari, who is also pursuing medicine course, in BNMU, and returned to the city on March 3, says they did not face much problem, as their consultant had arranged a bus to the railway station and from there to the Hungary border.