Indians stuck on Poland border amid harsh winter

New Delhi: Several Indian students in Ukraine trudged 35km in subzero temperatures to reach the Polish border hoping for an escape, but are now stuck there. With little or no food, they are sleeping in parks as mercury drops to minus four degrees.

Their phone batteries are dying and the students who reached the border check point on Saturday and pleaded for swift evacuation. “It was an extremely long walk and our bodies were giving up but we just kept moving, taking care of each other in the hope that once we reach the border, maybe, the worst will be over. But that’s not the end, several hours later we are still waiting.

We have tried all helpline numbers but there has been no response,” Nrupakshi, a student of Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, said over the phone. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said on Twitter on Saturday that Indians should not go to any of the border posts without prior coordination with the Indian government officials.

The embassy added that it is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who are reaching border checkpoints without prior intimation. In a viral video shot by the students of Ternopil National Medical University, one Mansi Mangla, said they reached the Poland border after a 40 km rek. “When we reached the Polish border, we saw that the Russians and Poles were being allowed, but we were told to go back to our colleges.” – PTI