Ukraine crisis: Kerala students fear electricity, water supply outage

Image credit: Reuters

Thiruvananthapuram: "We were asked by the authorities to move to the bunkers in the university hostel at the earliest taking essential belongings. We have only limited storage of food and water with us. Network coverage may be lost anytime," a visibly anxious Arundhathi told a local television channel from Ukraine's capital Kyiv. The eastern European nation is facing a Russian onslaught since February 24.

In her video call, the ordeal they were going through was very much visible as over 60 students could be seen sitting jam-packed on the floor holding their backpacks and essential articles in the congested bunker, where there was only very dim light.

A medical student from Kerala in her early 20s said huge sounds of the explosion could be heard frequently in the wee hours and they were all concerned about their safety.

Ashra, another student studying in a university located in central Ukraine said she and the other Indian students were very much worried as they had no clear guidance on what they should do and where they should stay.

"There are 200-300 students from Kerala alone in our campus. We are not getting any clear guidance on what to do. Initially, we were asked to move to the bunker...When we packed our bags and reached there, our university head asked us to go back to our hostel room. So we came back. Movement is very risky these times," she said.

The woman said according to the information they received, there had been no attack so far in their region.

Swalika and Ameya, two professional students, were waiting to get an instruction from the authorities to shift to the nearest bunker. They said they were informed that water and power supply would be stopped any time. "We do not know how we could contact our families in Kerala if the mobile phones go out of charge. We are unable to withdraw money from ATMs and banks. Food storage is also very limited," the worried students added.

Sreekesh, working in a private firm in Ukraine, said there were no street lights on the major roads in the place where he was staying and there was instruction to switch off the lights in apartments and houses. Ukraine army could be seen indulging in military exercises on the streets outside his apartment and we are safe as of now, he told a television channel.

In the wake of the Russian offensive against Ukraine, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Thursday that India was making alternative arrangements for the safe evacuation of Indians stranded in the Eastern European nation as its airspace was closed.

Amid concerns expressed by the near and dear ones of the people stranded in Ukraine, he said the Central government would ensure the safety of over 18,000 Indians including students stranded there and asked them to follow the instructions of the Indian Embassy in Kyiv.

An Air India plane that took off for Kyiv in Ukraine on Thursday morning to bring back Indians from the eastern European nation returned to Delhi due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace amid the Russian military offensive.