25 February,2022 07:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra Jore
Anand Prakash, with his wife Anya, says everything`s normal in the city
Anand Prakash woke up to an explosion at 4.50 am on Thursday, at his residence in Ukraine's capital Kyiv. "I did not see or hear the sound of airplanes that may have dropped the bombs, but could sense something was wrong as the explosions were confirmed. Local news channels said the country's specific targets were under attack by Russia," he told mid-day.
Anand said things were normal there, not as difficult as the Indian news media has been portraying. "War emergency was declared today. But things are normal, except panic buying of food, fuel and other supplies in the morning. The roads are jammed because of heavy traffic, but the city is still safe," he said. The first thing that came to his mind after the explosions was to call up friends who are staying in the vicinity of airports, ports and defence installations, because these were the first targets.
An unmoved suburb in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine
"There are some 200 Indian families and 2,500 students here. We have asked friends and students to move to safe places that we together have identified. Thankfully, there is no flying of planes inside," he said, without sounding very troubled, though reports said the Russian forces were just 150 km from Kyiv.
Anand said he wasn't happy with the way Indian news channels and Indian newspapers have described the Ukraine attack. "Relatives are panicking unnecessarily and calling us repeatedly. I have stopped watching Indian news channels and reading newspapers," he said.
Anand graduated in medicine and surgery from Kyiv, but built a career in medicine marketing and later shifted to the agriculture sector. "As my father wished, I came here from Patna, Bihar, in 1992 for an MBBS course, but stayed on. Everything that matters to me--my family and my business--is here. I am Indian, but I'm Ukraine's green card holder. My wife Anya is Georgian," he said, dismissing the question about thinking of leaving Ukraine. Their 17-year-old son Arnesh lives with them, while their daughter Aparna is doing her masters in business management in Dublin.
Shailesh Purohit has a house in Kyiv, but is currently in Tashkent for work
As far as facing the war is concerned, he said the family and friends were prepared. "We have our supplies, food and medicine. We will leave for the safe places, like bomb shelters and metro rail tunnels, whenever the warning comes," he said, adding that he could hear an explosion as we spoke over the phone.
Vijay Badekar, who made Kyiv his home in 2012, moved to Ukraine from Kalyan. A senior executive in a pharmaceutical company, he stays with his wife and daughter in Kyiv's Osokorki suburb. He said there was panic, but the neighbourhood was silent, except for the occasional explosions far away.
"We are safe as of now. The eastern part is under attack. I haven't thought of returning to India yet, but the families in India are worried because of what they are seeing and reading. They have been calling us ever since the attacks started today. Let's see when the airports start operating and India sends the passenger planes. I am told an Indian plane was not allowed to land today because of airspace restrictions here," said Vijay.
Vijay Badekar with his family. They are Kalyan residents
He said the government has advised residents to not venture out unnecessarily. "But you can go out to buy essentials. There are customary road blockades. The schools were shut today. We are waiting for further orders. I'm told that there was a conflict in 2014 in the eastern region, but the capital has always been safe."
Vijay said the means of communication like the Internet, phones were working fine, and water and electricity supplies were uninterrupted. Shailesh Purohit, an Indian professional, has a home in Kyiv but he relocated to Tashkent for an assignment last year. He said his house is far from the city centre. "It is safe, as there is no airport or military base nearby. I have requested friends to use my house if they need," he said.
