Airspace Closed, Awaiting Evacuation: Over 1,500 Students From Odisha Caught In Ukraine’s War Zones

Bhubaneswar: More than 1,500 students from Odisha are caught in Ukraine’s war zones, fear-struck, running out of food, water and cash, and desperately awaiting evacuation.

Mostly medical students at National Medical University in Kharkiv and Kyiv Medical University who share apartments, many of them have been shifted to bomb shelters and safe zones since Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday.

Back in Odisha, their parents have made frantic appeals to the Centre and the Odisha government to bring them back immediately. With internet and communication lines becoming unreliable, it is increasingly becoming touch-and-go for the students to stay in touch with their parents.

According to the students, sounds of air raid sirens and explosions are constantly ringing in the cities.

The students had started making preparations to leave Ukraine after the West warned of an imminent attack by Russia and the Indian government asked its citizens to fly out.

Hopeful of boarding flights in the first week of March, many had either booked tickets or were in the process, struggling to arrange cash to pay the fare of over Rs 1 lakh, three times more than normal prices.

But Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights on Thursday, leaving them stranded in conflict zones. Their only hope now is the Indian government evacuating them.

Several Odia students were booked on the Air India flight which returned empty on Thursday morning after Ukraine closed its airspace. Air India flight AI1947, bound for Kyiv to bring back Indians, turned back midflight to Delhi.

With Kyiv airport closed, many Odia students who had reached the airport to catch the flight were told to go back.

“The present situation in Ukraine is highly uncertain. Please maintain calm & remain safe wherever you are,” the Indian Embassy advised.

Earlier, a special flight from Ukraine landed in Delhi with 182 Indians, including students, the second operated by Air India to bring back Indians. The first flight on February 22 brought back around 240 Indians.

Also read: https://odishabytes.com/watch-ukraine-parents-urge-govt-to-bring-back-stranded-odia-students/