Ghanaian students caught up in Ukraine-Russia conflict
Government called on to make evacuation plans for Ghanaians in Russia and Ukraine
A Ghanaian student in Ukraine, Ayamba Obed, has narrated the harrowing experience of how he and others had to join some Ukrainian citizens in seeking safety in a bunker following the Russian invasion.
Russia launched a large-scale invasion on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in what the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin describes as a ‘special operation’.
Speaking on a recent edition of GhanaWeb TV’s #SayItLoud, Obed Ayamba stated that management of his school sent out word of the potential of their university being a target in the Russian invasion.
The rain of Russian missiles that followed in areas close to Sumy, where Obed is located, caused him to join others in seeking safety in a bunker where they had to spend the night.
“From what we heard from especially university officials; they said this place is at risk, we could have hits at any moment. So yesterday when we experienced the first hit near us, they thought it is advisable to get secured by going into the bunker and stay there for the night.”
Giving details on his experience of how the attack on Ukraine unfolded, Obed Ayamga said “…we are some few kilometres from the Russian border. As of yesterday, there were some blasts near us, some few kilometres from our hostel which we heard was from the other side (Russia). They told us to keep calm and so yesterday we had to go down to the underground bunkers, we had to go and stay there throughout the night so that at least we have some safety."
He disclosed that following the attack, activities within the city, including movement, have become minimal.
Obed noted that while he has been able to secure some food supplies, it will not sustain him beyond the weekend.
“When you go round the city, there is nothing going on because it brought panic and at the ATMs there are queues, supermarkets had a lot of queues. But yesterday we managed to get a few foodstuffs. The unfortunate thing is getting money. For us here, now it is impossible because banks have closed – ATMs, some of them you go and there is no cash. Getting out from this city too is quite difficult because we find ourselves in a place where you have to pass through two cities which are severely affected – thus Kyiv and Kharkiv.”
Obed Ayamba further appealed to the government of Ghana to take measures in ensuring the safe exit of himself and his Ghanaian compatriots from Ukraine and Russia.
