Escape from HELLFIRE

Shilpa P | NT

Karnataka student Arjun Vasanth landed in the wee hours of Saturday morning at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru – finally. After over a fortnight in dark, damp bunkers, ear-splitting sounds of shelling, and absence of basic amenities, he is overwhelmed by relief, and overjoyed to be home after more than three years. He recounts his nightmare to Shilpa P.

I’m back!

The bright light at the end of this tunnel was real. My ordeal is over. I am all elated and relieved at last to meet my family in Hassan. At the wee hours of Saturday morning I landed at Bengaluru International Airport after being stranded in Sumy, Ukraine for 14 days. I had felt isolated, as Sumy city was surrounded by Russian soldiers unlike other cities of Ukraine and there were frequent air strikes and firings. There was no hope to escape from there, unless there was a ceasefire. Many civilians who had attempted to escape had lost lives. Along with 700 other students from India, I was sheltering in bunkers. I am back home now, in my native Hassan, after more than three years.

A month before the war began, the Indian embassy had said that Ukraine was likely to face war, but they were uncertain about it and had asked us to wait. Ten days before the war began, they had told students who wanted to go to India, to make arrangements. Students of first and second year MBBS here could return. But those in third year had their main board exam Crock 1 on February 8, and March 15. And for those in fourth year Crock 2 (exam) is in May. Those who miss these exams will have to repeat the entire year’s course again. We had not got permission from college to leave. So we stayed back. Now there is anxiety about the academic future. But I am relieved that at last I am able to be with my family.

Day 1: Thursday 24 February
In the morning, there was news that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine and that war was likely to be declared any time. We were asked by authorities to withdraw cash from banks, and shop and stock food. We rushed, but almost all the shops were closed. The few shops that were open were overcrowded. So we, my friend from Tumkur and I, could only shop and stock food enough for a week in our flat. Both of us were doing our 7th year semester for MBBS in Sumy State University.

Day 2: Friday 25 February
At around 2 am (Ukraine time), it all started, and we could hear firings, blasts, sounds of military vehicles and notice fog of gases that night. The situation was the same the whole day.

Day 3: Saturday 26 February
At night there was a blast at a visual distance of 3km and we could hear firings at a close distance of 1km.

Day 4: Sunday 27 February
We were told that a large column of Russian vehicles were at the border of the city. There was a drone attack alert at night and the whole city was completely dark with all the lights switched off. We spent that whole night in basement bomb shelter.

Day 5: Monday 28 February
We got an alert from the Sumy regional state administration that Russian vehicles have encircled Sumy from all sides. As and when there was emergency siren, we rushed to nearest basement bomb shelter thrice a day. We sat there and waited for three to six hours, until we heard it was safe and then we returned to our flats or hostels.

Day 6: Tuesday 1 March
There were frequent fights, firings and air strikes within the Sumy city. And we were forced to remain in the bunkers almost all the time. The basement bomb shelters were old store rooms and warehouses without any facilities to sit or sleep. Since the temperature was minus degrees outside, we struggled to stay warm.

Day 7: Wednesday 2 March
The day was a repetition of the previous day.

Day 8: Thursday 3 March
Russia blasted the Sumy electric power plant, and there was no electricity and water, so though the college authorities provided groceries, we couldn’t cook. We struggled even to use the washroom. I was lucky enough at least to be in touch often over the phone with my distressed family back home: my father Vasanth Kumar, who owns a pharmacy business, my mother Indiramma, a head mistress in a high school, and my brother, Raghavendra Y V, who owns a IT company in Mysuru. But then with no electricity, I was forced to switch off my phone to save battery, and gave them updates by switching my phone on only for a few moments.

Day 9: Friday 4 March
With no signs of evacuation from Sumy city, especially after Naveen’s death, we students started losing hope and started feeling isolated and started breaking down.

Day 10: Saturday 5 March