Assam students trapped in the war zone in Sumy region in Ukraine are sending out SOS tweets to PM Narendra Modi to evacuate them immediately from this northeastern town battered by Russian troops.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed grave concern for the safety of these students. He said, “There are some students in Sumy region and that is our biggest concern because the war is on there. I want to assure that central government will continue its effort to bring back the last person home safe and healthy.” According to initial reports, there could be at least 40 students from Assam in Sumy region.
He added that till Friday 82 students from Assam have been evacuated out of different areas of Ukraine.
A student from Assam, Shivangini Bhattacharyya, who is a third year student of Sumy State University, has sent out an SOS tweet seeking immediate evacuation.
She wrote, “Witnessed this first-hand from my window yesterday, and I so wish I hadn’t. Water supply has been disrupted. Everyday we wake up with a hope that help is coming our way, only for it to be crushed down into pieces. Sumy, Ukraine #PMOIndia #MEAindia #OperationGanga #Ukraine.”
Yet another student from the state, Jakaria Atikur Rahman Hussain tweeted, “Today’s the 9th day since the war broke out. Since yesterday after this blast there is no water. If we’re not evacuated in a day two I don’t know if we’ll survive or not. We’re around 600 Indian students in Sumy. Please help @IndiainUkraine @MEAIndia @narendramodi @DrSJaishankar.”
According to Russian news agency TASS, Russian national defence control center head colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev has announced that 130 Russian buses are ready to evacuate Indian students and other foreigners from Kharkiv and Sumy in Ukraine to Russia’s Belgorod region.
The New York Times has reported that “More than 800 medical students are stranded at their university in the city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine, officials said, after Russian forces hindered access to roads and trains. The students are mostly from African countries and India.”
