We’re living in fear – Stranded Ghanaian students in Ukraine call for evacuation
Stranded Ghanaian students in Ukraine have appealed to the Ghana government to evacuate them following Russia’s invasion on Thursday, 24 February 2022.
More than 1000 Ghanaians in the eastern European country are studying different programmes at various institutions across the country.
Tuesday’s attack has resulted in panic buys from shops, as civilians seek safety in different locations far from military camps, which has been the target of Russian troops.
A medical student named Joseph described the current state of affairs as “very bad”, and narrated the confused mental state of the students.
“Last night, when I was learning, I heard the first explosion. It was as if it was at the back of our hostel, and we all are living in fear,” he stated. “As of now, we are all in the rooms, but they are saying if you don’t have a shelter, you should move to the underground. If God touches the heart of our government and they evacuate us, we will be very happy”.
The students seem to be short of food and supplies as they seek refuge and await a decision by the Ghana government.
“Currently, I have two bottles of water and four biscuits which I went out this morning to get. When I got to the shop, it was full, and there were only a few bottles of water. I wanted to buy bread, but they [people] have bought all the bread from the shop; I was so shocked,” he narrated in an interview with Joy FM.
Meanwhile, The president of the Ukraine chapter of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Philip Bobie Ansah, says the Ghana Embassy in Ukraine was yet to respond to the situation.
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has announced via Twitter about engagement with authorities in Ukraine and other relevant diplomatic missions on measures to ensure the safety of Ghanaian citizens.
The Government of Ghana is gravely concerned about the security and safety of our over 1000 students and other Ghanaians in Ukraine and has asked them to shelter in place in their homes or in government places of shelter, 1/2
— Ghana MFA (@GhanaMFA) February 24, 2022
as we engage the authorities, our relevant diplomatic missions and our honorary consul on further measures. 2/2
— Ghana MFA (@GhanaMFA) February 24, 2022
This followed an earlier statement by NUGS for immediate action to protect the students.
“We believe that the model used for the evacuation of students from China at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic could be adopted in this instance as well.
“We are thus asking for the evacuation of students from the Eastern Provinces of Ukraine, which is the present nucleus of the conflict, and out of Russia as the country may pose an overall hostile environment to our students.
“Students may be temporarily resettled in the Western provinces of Ukraine which remain calm at present, or most preferably, out of the country altogether and back home till a resolution is reached on this crisis,” a press release by the student body indicated on Thursday.
What is happening in Ukraine?
Russian forces have launched a military assault on neighbouring Ukraine, crossing its borders and bombing military targets near big cities.
In a televised address, Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, reportedly ordered a “military operation” in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, but what’s been launched goes far further and amounts to a full-scale attack on the country.
Russian military vehicles were said to have breached the border in several places, in the north, south, and east, including from Belarus.
BBC reports that at least seven people are known to have been killed in Russian attacks. Another 19 are missing.
Multiple explosions were heard in the city of Odesa within the past hour.
The Ukrainian president’s office says that more than 40 Ukrainian troops have been killed in Russian shelling, but this has not been independently confirmed.
CCTV images issued by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reportedly show Russian military vehicles moving across the border from Crimea.
The Ukrainian armed forces say they have shot down five Russian planes and a helicopter; however, Russia dismissed these claims.
Emergency sirens have sounded in Kyiv, and huge traffic jams have built up as residents flee the city.
Why has Russia attacked Ukraine?
There have been hostilities between Russia and Ukraine after the former became a sovereign state after breaking away from the Soviet Union.
However, in 2021, the situation escalated after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his desire to US President Joe Biden to approve admission to join NATO.
Russian President Vladimir Putin believes Ukraine is a puppet of the West and allowing a partnership with NATO will give the West access to set up military bases closer to Russia, which could facilitate an attack on Moscow.
Russia has demanded that the West gives a legally binding guarantee that NATO will not hold any military activity in eastern Europe and Ukraine.
Russia further wants Ukraine to desist from any NATO membership.
The new tension between Russia and Ukraine, which also borders the European Union, has political and economic repercussions for the EU.
Consequently, the EU, most of who are NATO signatories, have joined the US in announcing sanctions against Russian entities.