‘Indians were thrown off trains’: Student recounts the terrifying escape from Kharkiv

In Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh, a family rejoiced after their son returned from war-torn Ukraine. On Friday night, Pramod Kumar, a resident of Chak Manikpur Shayyad Raje village in the Saini Kotwali area, managed to flee Kharkiv and return home safely. Although Pramod and his family are clearly relieved that he managed to escape, Pramod is deeply concerned about the situation in Ukraine and about the evacuation of stranded Indians there. Pramod became emotional as he described his escape from Kharkiv to India Today. Russian forces have been attacking one of Ukraine’s largest cities, Kharkiv.

Pramod was enrolled in an MBBS program at VN Karazin Kharkiv National University. Residents of India living in Ukraine sought to flee the country as soon as possible when Russia declared war on this country. According to Pramod, the students in Kharkiv were left to their own devices. He alleged that the Indian nationals were ‘kicked out of trains’ in Ukraine as they fled the city amid escalating Russian attacks.

In Ukraine, Pramod heard the first explosion on February 24. He then hid in the bunker with his fellow students. Pramod then created a video and sent it to his family in Uttar Pradesh. He also sought the government’s assistance in fleeing the war-torn nation.

Despite his safe return home, Pramod’s thoughts remain with those trapped in Ukraine and he appealed to the government to assist them. More than 13,300 Indians stranded in Ukraine have been brought home on 63 flights, according to the Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday. MEA officials told a press briefing that ‘a large number of Indians have left Ukraine. There aren’t too many Indian citizens left, apart from some areas like Sumy’.

According to external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, the embassy will try to make contact with anyone who is still in Kharkiv. ‘Almost all Indians have left Kharkiv,’ he said. According to the MEA, the embassy will take a fresh look at who is left behind in which city. Arindam Bagchi promised everyone that they would be forced to leave Pisochyn and Kharkiv within the hour.