Indian student killed in shelling in Ukraine's Kharkiv

Agencies | Kyiv

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

An Indian student lost his life in shelling in Ukraine this morning, the foreign ministry has said. The student, from Karnataka's Haveri, died when Russian soldiers blew up a government building on Tuesday.

"With profound sorrow, we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning. The Ministry is in touch with his family. We convey our deepest condolences to the family," tweeted the External Affairs Ministry.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, videos showed extensive damage from the Russian military assault. One video showed the city's largest government building blown up.

The student who lost his life had gone out for food, said Pooja Praharaj, a student coordinator in Kharkiv.

"He had only gone to get food. For others in the hostel, we provide food but he stayed in a flat just behind the Governor's House. He had been standing in the queue for an hour or two. Suddenly there was an airstrike that blew up the Governor's House and he was killed," Ms Praharaj said.

A Ukrainian woman picked up his phone, said the student coordinator.

"Speaking from his phone, she said the owner of this phone is being taken to the morgue," she shared.

This morning, the Indian Embassy advised all citizens, including students, to leave Ukraine's capital Kyiv "urgently today, by trains or any other means available".

Satellite images have shown a long convoy of Russian military vehicles on roadways northwest of Kyiv. Hundreds of tanks, towed artillery, armoured and logistical vehicles can be seen in the images released by a US-based space technology company.

Around 16,000 Indian students are still stranded in Ukraine. Many students have shared photos and videos on social media from underground bunkers, metro stations and bomb shelters, where they have been hiding since the Russian attack started last Thursday. Around 8,000 Indian nationals have left by various special flights.

Several Indian students remain stuck in eastern parts of Ukraine, which is most affected by the Russian military offensive, and they are finding it difficult to travel by road to reach the western borders. Students have also been walking to the borders in sub-zero conditions, hoping to cross over and take a flight home.

Yesterday, the embassy had asked students to go to the railway station in Kyiv, where special evacuation trains have been arranged by Ukraine to take people to the western region.

Many students complained that they were not allowed to board the trains or they were mistreated by officials.

Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday after months of tension over the former Soviet republic's proximity to NATO.