Around 40 Indian medical students stranded in violence-hit Ukraine walked to the country’s border with Poland today to be evacuated, news agency ANI reported. The group studies at Danylo Halytsky Medical University in Lviv and were dropped around 8 km from the border point by a college bus. The students then walked to their destination.
Two photographs, shared with ANI by a student from the group, show the young group walking in a line on one side of a rather desolate street with backpacks.
Their college in Lviv is approximately 80 km from the Poland border. Most of the fighting is happening in eastern Ukraine near the border with Russia. India’s foreign ministry has set up camp offices in Lviv and Chernivtsi.
Ukraine | A group of around 40 Indian medical students of Daynlo Halytsky Medical University, Lviv walk towards the Ukraine-Poland border for evacuation. They were dropped around 8 kms from the border point by a college bus.(Source: An Indian medical student from the group) pic.twitter.com/L3JttzjVDY
— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2022
The first batch of Indian students have left Chernivtsi for the Ukraine-Romania borderRelated stories
MEA Camp Offices are now operational in Lviv and Chernivtsi towns in western Ukraine. Additional Russian speaking officials are being sent to these Camp Offices. pic.twitter.com/OvRlqA8Q4t
— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2022
The Indian embassy in Poland has issued directions for Indians heading to the Polish border for evacuation.
In an advisory shared on Twitter, the embassy advised the stranded nationals to head to the Shehyni-Medyka border crossing where they will be allowed to cross the border on foot only. The Krakowiec border is only for people travelling in their own vehicles.
The advisory also shared a few contact details of officials concerned and a Google document to be filled out by the nationals to get a repatriation flight back to India. The cost of the flights will be borne completely by the Government of India.
Urgent advisory for Indians Ukraine desiring to be evacuated via Poland https://t.co/AXJzwYLhoI pic.twitter.com/9L5WXLHhyV— India in Poland and Lithuania (@IndiainPoland) February 25, 2022
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday for an "immediate cessation of violence". PM Modi also conveyed that India attaches the highest priority to the safe return of stranded students.
Russia has declared a war on Ukraine and the invasion entered the second day today. Explosions and gunfire have been reported across the country and Russia claimed it had destroyed 83 land-based Ukrainian targets. Ukraine has said 137 people have died in the violence since Thursday.
