Ukraine crisis: Rescued students start online petition to rescue fellows from Eastern, Southern parts of Ukraine

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The students who have crossed the Ukrainian borders and who have reached India have started an online petition urging the government to rescue the Indian students who are stuck in the bunkers in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine, said a medico, Miraj Jiwakhan, who started the petition on change platform on Wednesday.

Miraj had reached his hometown Ratlam on February 23 on a Qatar Airways flight to Bombay.

He said, “Indian citizens and students are still stuck in bunkers and basements of areas in eastern and southern parts of Ukraine which are prone to destruction by the Russian Army. Like Kyiv, Kharkiv, Summy, Mykolayiv and Odessa are the most sensitive ones.”

“We are scared and frightened, especially when one of our friends died yesterday. Those who are in bunkers have run out of supplies and going out to restock is nothing short of putting their lives at risk. We urge the government to rescue them from their hiding spots as they cannot come on their own to the borders,” he says.

Aashi who was stuck in Ukraine and is now at her home in Ujjain, says, “I don't know if this would work or not. But now that we are safe, it's our duty to help the entrapped students in any way we can. We know our government would definitely find a way out. This petition is just a statement of all our collective voices.”

“Russian Army tanks are quickly surrounding those places. Students can watch and hear shelling, blasts and a convoy of tanks moving across their street. They desperately need someone to rescue them and to assist them from their place to the borders of any other neighbouring country,” says father of Parvez Alam, who is stuck in a bunker in Sumy.