In the war-hit country of Ukraine, food and water is fast running out in bunkers where a few students from Karnataka are in hiding in Kharkiv, the second largest city where the Russian troops have moved in amidst intense fighting.
This was communicated by Billava Likhith Koragappa from Kodagu who is pursuing his 3rd year MBBS in Kharkiv National Medical University, to his brother Karthik in Kushalnagar in Kodagu district, on Sunday.
‘’His last known location was Kharkiv Metro after which we are unable to contact my brother. In the meantime we have learnt through TV news that the Russian troops have moved into Kharkiv and there is curfew restricting people’s movement,” said Mr. Karthik.
An MBA graduate, Karthik has taken a break from his higher studies ever since the crisis broke out on Thursday and is with his mother who is a nurse. Karthik and Likhith lost their father last year and hence the unfolding crisis is weighing heavily on Karthik’s mother Ms. Kalavathi who is anxious about her son stranded in the war zone. The two are spending anxious moments waiting for periodic updates from Likhith.
‘’There are 9 students – all from Karnataka hiding in a bunker and they have been instructed by the Indian embassy not to venture out unless instructed by them’’, said Mr. Karthik. Ideally, he should have left Ukraine as the tension between the two countries mounted but classes were on till Wednesday. Likhith wanted to book his flight out of Ukraine on Thursday when the war broke out, said Mr. Karthik.
Likhith and his friends from Karnataka were relatively safe in the company of hundreds of Ukrainians in a metro but they ventured out as per a local advisory that it was safe to go out and have food. Hence, they rushed back to their apartment and were returning to the metro when the air raid sirens were sounded and they had to take refuge in the nearest bunker.
‘’The food they had stocked was running out and but Likhith communicated to us that the local people have promised to arrange for it and not to worry,’’ said Mr. Karthik.
But, for the family members there is growing concern that their near and dear ones stranded in Ukraine may not be disclosing the reality so as to minimize anxiety among their parents back home in India.
So is the case with Mohammad Yusuf whose son M.Y. Sharuk is also stranded in Kharkiv. An MBBS student of VN Karaziv Kharkiv National University, he is in touch with his parents but there are concerns of the battery running dry. ‘’If the battle intensifies and power supply is cut off, there will be no way of communicating with my son though he did communicate this morning (Sunday)’’, said Mr.Yusuf.
‘’He is in an underground bunker and there are battle tanks stationed above. His movement outside the bunker is impossible’’, Yusuf added.
