Sabir Hussain/New Delhi

War clouds over Ukraine prompted the Indian embassy in Kiev to issue two advisories within six days asking Indian nationals to leave the country temporarily.

But it hasn’t been easy for those trying to leave Ukraine because prices of air tickets have gone through the roof.

Rishab Mishra from Patna, a third year medical student in western Ukraine is planning to return home but is waiting for air fares to come down so that he can buy a ticket.

Rishab who shares a flat with three other friends said he expects the fares to start coming down in a week after tickets in some airline were being sold for anything between Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 or even more. Which is why, he and his friends are biding their time for the fare to come down before buying a ticket for India.

“Last week we also requested the embassy to arrange charter flights,” he said.

Rishab says the situation in western Ukraine is normal.

“This is not a war zone and life is normal here. But because the media is hyping it so much that we do get worried. The media coverage has also scared our parents who want us to take the first flight out. The embassy’s advisory for Indians to leave also increased the anxiety of parents.”

He expects to return to Ukraine in 2-3 months if matters don’t escalate.

“The university has been sympathetic about the situation that we are in. We will be attending online classes once we are back in India.”

By some estimate, there are about 20,000 Indian students in Ukraine, a majority of them in medical colleges.     

Miraj Jiwakhan, a medical student in Ternopil.

Miraj Jiwakhan, a fourth year medical student at the Ternopil National Medical University, 430 km west of the Ukrainian capital Kiev echoed Rishab’s gripe about costly air fares.

“Air tickets have risen sharply. It used to range between Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 and now they cost between Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. I bought a ticket for a Qatar Airway flight for Rs 50,000,” said Miraj.

Miraj, who is from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, will have to travel to Odessa, about 700 km southeast to catch his flight that will bring him to New Delhi via Dubai.

“Our classes are still on. But our parents were very worried about the situation in Ukraine. They were worried even more after the US asked its citizens to evacuate. And the Indian Embassy’s advisory finally prompted me to move.”

“The situation in Ternopil is normal, though. It is calm, there is no panic, no protests.”

Like other students leaving the country, he is worried about the enforced break.

“Our studies will be affected. The university has told us that we can return in two weeks if the situation improves. Not all students are leaving though. Some think that it is better to stay on and weather the storm,” Miraj said.

Miraj will be leaving Ternopil with a few friends.

For parents, the situation in Ukraine continues to be source of worry.

Ramswaroop Yadav, a resident of Gaya’s Sonu Bigha area, said, “My son Akash Kumar is also studying MBBS in Kharkiv National Medical University in Ukraine. We are monitoring the status of the dispute between Ukraine and Russia. We are worried about their safety. If the situation becomes worsens, we will ask him to return home,” Yadav told ANI.

Representational image.

The situation in Ukraine continues to be tense with Russia amassing a large number of troops, including armor and artillery along its border raising fears of an imminent invasion.

Although diplomacy is continuing despite the threat of war, the Kremlin on Monday downplayed the possibility of a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin after the White House said that the American leader had agreed "in principle" to talks brokered by France, provided war did not break out in the meantime.

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