'Traumatic, lived without food, water...' Indian students recall their ordeal in bunkers in Kharkiv

After reaching the camp set up by the Indian Embassy in Poland, many students recalled their ordeal while speaking exclusively to Asianet News. These students were stuck in Ukraine's Kharkiv. 

First Published Mar 7, 2022, 5:06 PM IST | Last Updated Mar 7, 2022, 5:06 PM IST

After reaching the camp set up by the Indian Embassy in Poland, many students recalled their ordeal while speaking exclusively to Asianet News. These students were stuck in Ukraine's Kharkiv.  One of the students said, "Staying in bunkers was traumatic, terrible. We had no internet, no food, water or any necessities. We were sleeping on the floor, which was full of mud."
She further said people who had asthma faced difficulties in surviving.

Another student said they were in the bunkers for almost eight days, where they had an irregular food supply. "There was food for one time or were accessed after alternate days," he added.

Revealing further, another student said over 500 students are awaiting evacuation and seeking help from the Embassy. After reaching the camp, the students revealed that they felt safe and faced no issues after reaching there. They are thankful to the Indian government, volunteers, and others who provide food and accommodation to make them feel comfortable after being rescued. 

Earlier, a student described her experience leading up to her border crossing, saying, "We had a lot of issues. With such heavy luggage, we had to walk at least five kilometres to cross the border. It was also very cold outside. It was around minus two degrees outside, and we had to cross in the midst of snowfall. We had to wait in line for two and a half hours."

When asked about the situation in Kyiv, the student stated, "The situation in Kyiv is dire. We were forced to live in bunkers with little food and water. In the cold weather, there was nothing to eat. We hadn't taken a bath in a long time. We were living in filthy conditions."

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