Bhubaneswar: An Odia girl student, who arrived at Bhubaneswar airport from Ukraine on Sunday, has appealed to the state and Central governments to make all possible efforts to rescue other students stranded in the war ravaged country.
Speaking to media persons on arrival at Bhubaneswar airport, Archita Satpathy, who had gone to Ukraine to pursue MBBS course in December last year, said the students in different parts of the European country, particularly eastern region, are in a desperate condition.
“We were getting news of Russia planning to start the war with Ukraine but never believed that it would launch the invasion so soon. Because Russia has been making aggression into this country since 2014,” said Archita, who was a first year MBBS student.
She had taken admission in Uzhhorod National University in December last year and was staying in a hostel in Uzhhorod on the western border of Ukraine.
[Watch] Please Rescue Desperate Students From Ukraine, Appeals Odia Girl On Return – YouTube
“After Russia launched the invasion, situation worsened so fast that we could not imagine that we can come back. We were in a state of constant fear. We were not allowed to come out of the hostel. The streets had become deserted with only defence vehicles passing through Uzhhorod,” she said.
Stating that the students in western Ukraine are lucky to have been able to return, Archita said the situation in eastern region, Kharkiv and Kyiv is very dangerous. “After Russia declared war, there have been daily reports of bombing, gunfire, movement of tanks and armoured vehicles on eastern border. We came to know that the students in those regions have limited stock of food which may run out soon,” said Archita.
Thanking the Central and state governments, Indian Embassy in Ukraine, government of Hungary and Air India for bringing her and her friends home, she appealed to the authorities to take urgent steps to evacuate other students stranded in Ukraine as situation is deteriorating very fast.
Archita’s mother Ranjita Mishra and father Pabitra Mohan Satpathy, who is an arts teacher in DAV School at Talcher, also thanked the governments for evacuating Indian students and wished safe return of other Odias from Ukraine.
