He just peeped out, saw bombs falling, huge fire

Hyderabad: A thirty-year-old MBBS student, Telugu student Mukesh living in East Kyiv, capital city of Ukraine, had a bitter experience, finding himself in the midst of air sirons and sounds of bombing on the capital city since Thursday.

The Russian military was on a mission to lay siege to Kyiv city. It was 4am Friday. Mukesh woke up suddenly from a nap and peeped from his window to see the terrible sight of bombing, up and close, smokes billowing from high-rise buildings in columns. The Russians have almost captured the east Kyiv city that was no more than a sitting duck.

"I never expected such a war would take place here in Ukraine. Since yesterday, the situation was surcharged and it took a bloody turn today after Russian tanks rolled into the city,” he said.

The capital is in the eastern part of Ukraine, close to Russia, and it was an immediate target to the war-mongers.

“I spent a sleepless night, sharing information now and then with my parents and friends. Then I took a nap early today. Suddenly, the air sirens and the bombing activity took place almost simultaneously. Now, we are completely in the grip of fear," Mukesh told Deccan Chronicle from Kyiv city.

Ukraine has a 12,000 strong Indian population. A tenth of them have reached up the border, to the east, for possible airlift to India from neighbouring nations. The airports in Ukraine have mostly been shut except for emergencies.

Mukesh is pursuing MBBS in the Bogomolets National Medical University. It, he said, is located at Tarasa Shevchenko Blvd.  Mukesh and some other Telugu students out there are living in a rented apartment.

Mukesh said war cries were in the air for some time but he did not expect it to erupt. "Based on information given by the university, we all thought the bilateral issues would be discussed and solved. But, the situation has reached this pass and we are staying indoors. Today, we received text messages from college friends that the communication system will be halted for today and tomorrow. These are decisive hours. We are worried how we shall be keeping in touch with our parents to continue with the communication flow," Mukesh said.

No one really expected the Russians would go this far. University managements, educational institutions and consultancy managements have given their students time to be prepared with their baggage and other belongings including passports should the scenario worsen.

The students received a message from the universities that they would try to reach the students up to the border of Ukraine close to Moldova via Odesa. “However, Odesa was already captured by the Russian forces and hence through transportation would be difficult," the Telugu students said.

The universities also informed the students that the flight service from Kyiv to other countries including India would not be possible in the immediate future as the Russian forces were on the prowl. "If our university takes steps to shift us to the border to facilitate onward air travel back to India, we are ready to go. But, this too is not easy anymore," another student, Sai, said

With the situation worsening in Ukraine, educational institutions are trying to shift the students to the borders of Ukraine so that they can fly back to their native places.

As part of the measures, as many as 40 Indians including Telugu students were shifted to the Romanian border.

The university managements have promised the students to shift them to borders from where the students can book tickets for further journey.

The Indian Embassy officials have closely monitored the situation in shifting the Indian students safely to their native places.