By- A group of South African students and Zimbabwean pursuing their studies in Ukraine have been forced to hide in a subway and take cover as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.

The invasion has also forced Ukrainians to flee their homes.
The invasion of Ukraine has left the students stranded as air travel, and public transportation is brought to a halt.

While the South African Embassy tries to make visas for the South African students to move to other countries, getting them out of Ukraine will be a challenge as there is no transport available.

The students are desperate to come back home as the Russian invasion has begun and violent explosions keep going on. The students went to study medicine in universities in Ukraine; this is a decision they regret as they are now desperate to come back home.

The violent invasion which began on Thursday after the Russian president ordered Russia to invade Ukraine, has left South African students stranded and fearing for their lives. Among the stranded students is Vutlhari Mtonga, who comes from Tzaneen Limpopo. Mtonga is a medical student who is currently in Kharkiv. She says loud explosions and shelling woke them up on Thursday morning.
“We were told to evacuate our homes, and we are currently in a subway to keep us safe. We have heard explosions, but we do not have a clear instruction or direction on where we should go.” Clayson Monyela, Department of International Relations and Co-operation spokesperson tried to assure the students in Ukraine that the Embassy will not evacuate and leave fellow South Africans behind. Monyela further said the students are not stranded, which is a statement that contradicts the students who are trapped in the subway.

Source: News24, IOL, Daily Maverick, image from IOL