Perambalur parents seek help of govt to rescue their children stranded in Ukraine

TRICHY: A group of parents whose children are studying in the war-hit Ukraine have sought the support of the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre to rescue and repatriate their wards.
In a written petition to the district administration on Friday, the parents stated that several students from Tamil Nadu pursuing medicine in the Kharkiv National Medical University in Kharkiv in the northeast Ukraine were stuck after the Russian invasion.
“Only if the students reach the borders of neighbouring countries like Poland and Romania, there is a hope of evacuation. My son told us that they heard explosions near their college,” said N Muruganandam, father of 21-year-old M Kiruba Shankar of Perambalur stuck in Kharkiv.
Around 10 students hailing from Perambalur were said to be pursuing their fourth year of medical education in the Kharkiv National Medical University.
The students recorded and shared videos narrating their ordeal, seeking support from the state government and the Centre to rescue them.
“Fearing Russian shelling, we slept in a metro. We are safe for now, but we the Indian students fear that the situation will worsen,” Kiruba Shankar said in a video request seeking evacuation.
As Kharkiv is situated close to the Russian borders, students without any diplomatic support cannot reach the borders of neighbouring countries, including Romania, since the local transport was not available, the parents said.