This is day 10 of Russia-Ukraine war. Russia has declared partial ceasefire to open humanitarian corridors in two cities, Mariupol and Volnovakha. But the city of Sumy continues to be stuck in a quagmire of formalities and permission-seeking.
More than 650 Indian students are still stranded in Sumy Medical University without food and water. Some of them have now threatened to leave the hostel campus and march to the borders at their own risk. Completely frustrated with no movement on their evacuation, they say this is their last video update.
The students of Sumy Medical University have been trapped in their hostel building since February 24, the longest time period for an Indian student cohort to be hemmed in war-torn Ukraine with no onward movement towards nearby border areas for safety. Part of the reason lies in the tricky geographic position of the city, some 40km away from the Russian border but some 1,700km away from Polish or Romanian borders. Students have been getting assurances about evacuation staff on standby in nearby border areas and how provisions in terms of food and water are on the way, but they now seem to be reaching a breaking point. In the last few videos that went viral on social media, students were shown melting ice from outside their hostel to drink water. The students also reported three back-to-back blasts this morning near their university building.
With the declaration of humanitarian corridors in two cities in the southeastern part of Ukraine, and furious about Sumy in northeastern Ukraine being left out, stranded students at Sumy Medical University seem to have decided to take matters in their own hands and proceed to the border areas hoping to escape a worsening scenario in Sumy. "We have no options left now," says Kalpesh Kumar, a student from the university. Telegram chat groups were abuzz in the afternoon on Saturday, with student volunteers pointing out safety routes.
The last time Kalpesh had any food or water was on March 3 on which day power, too, went out. As he sent videos of recording bomb blasts 600 meters from the university building video, he says he is scared for his life. "I am afraid we are all going to die if we are not evacuated immediately. Yesterday a girl fell unconscious out of hunger and stress."
TeamSoS India, a volunteer group which has been coordinating relief efforts in border areas says the students should stay put in the university building. "I can understand the problem students facing there, but this decision which they taken I don’t stand on this. They are risking their life. They government is aware of their situation. They should understand it is a war zone."
