‘I was lucky to leave Ukraine for Oman just before Russia invaded’

Muscat: An Indian national who managed to leave Ukraine days before Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, is relieved that she managed to escape before the situation deteriorated.

Anupama Manish, who hails from the Indian state of Kerala and moved to the region of Chernihivska, north of the capital, Kyiv, about six months earlier to take up the role of a manager, was able to board a last-minute flight to Oman, where her brother stays.

“I was able to leave around 19th of February, because my brother had requested for a visa for me a few days ago,” recalled Anupama, one of the many Indians hired by her firm in Ukraine. “Fortunately, the tourist visa came within 24 hours, and I was able to travel before the Ukrainian authorities closed their airspace to passenger planes.

“There are still many friends who are now trapped within Ukraine as they were not able to get out in time,” she added. “Three of them were due to fly to Dubai yesterday, but they were unable to do so because the airspace is now closed.”

Russian forces entered the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk on 21 February, before invading the rest of the country on the 24th. As a consequence of the conflict, some of Anupama’s Indian friends and colleagues in the country, like many Ukrainians, made a beeline for the border.

With little facilities for public transportation in the form of taxis or buses, three of her friends decided to walk all the way to Lviv, a city located close to the Polish border. They were not, however, allowed to cross into Poland.

Much like other countries have, the Indian government has also asked its citizens in Ukraine to exit as best as they can. Indian nationals are being evacuated through Romania and Hungary, and talks are underway to explore more channels of evacuation.

Foreign citizens in Ukraine who are looking to evacuate are advised to travel in groups. Those living in the eastern portions of the country have been told to travel by rail to the western regions.

“They cannot go back either…how do you think the state of their legs are going to be, after having walked so far?” said Anupama. “Their voices are trembling and they are scared for their lives. My initial plan was to stay in Ukraine, despite the threat of conflict. In the end, I am glad I was able to leave.”

“I am relieved to have been able to leave Ukraine and come to Oman before the Russian invasion began,” added  Anupama.
After paying about INR500,000 (about OMR2,500) to an agent who helped her get a job in Ukraine, Anupama was put up in a hostel along with her colleagues. Under her employment agreement, both she and her employer will foot half the cost of the accommodation.

Although her salary is not that high and there are problems with communication – Google Translate is of great help – the friendly attitude of the Ukrainians and the low cost of living made living in the Eastern European country worthwhile.

“I was actually looking to stay back in Kyiv, because even after the Russians entered Donetsk, there were a lot of lighter talks about how the Russians would not attack the rest of the country,” she said. “At the same time, there were some people who were panicky by the threat of war.”

Despite the spectre of war looming, Anupama had initially decided to stay on in Kyiv. However, her family pleaded with her to leave the country as soon as possible: Her husband, seven-year-old son and mother all live in Kerala.

“I have always been a very confident person so I thought nothing would happen to me in Ukraine,” she added. “My husband and brother told me, however, to listen to them and leave the country. My mother was so afraid for my safety that she had chest pains. I knew then that I could not burden them with any more suffering and decided to leave.”