Ashley Nyambe
NAMIBIAN students in Ukraine are growing increasingly desperate to return home as Russia’s attacks on the country continue.
One of them is Giften April, a medical student who lives in Ivano-Franskivsk, in western Ukraine, where a Russian missile struck an airport on Thursday.
“The attack was not really close to my area. It was more in the outskirts of the city, but, I mean, if it can happen here, it shows that there’s a full-scale invasion and that puts our lives in danger,” April explained.
WAR: Images of Ukraine where thousands of people, including Namibian students, are desperately trying to escape from the Russian attacks. Photos: Wall Street Journal/APNews/Business Insider 
WAR: Images of Ukraine where thousands of people, including Namibian students, are desperately trying to escape from the Russian attacks. Photos: Wall Street Journal/APNews/Business Insider 
WAR: Images of Ukraine where thousands of people, including Namibian students, are desperately trying to escape from the Russian attacks. Photos: Wall Street Journal/APNews/Business Insider 
WAR: Images of Ukraine where thousands of people, including Namibian students, are desperately trying to escape from the Russian attacks. Photos: Wall Street Journal/APNews/Business Insider 
WAR: Images of Ukraine where thousands of people, including Namibian students, are desperately trying to escape from the Russian attacks. Photos: Wall Street Journal/APNews/Business Insider
He said he does not see the situation improving any time soon. If anything, he believes that tensions are escalating at a rapid pace as attacks are spreading and civilians are advised to seek bomb shelters. April is therefore desperate to leave Ukraine as soon as possible.
His desperation is shared by other Namibian students who are also stranded in war-ridden Ukraine.
April said they formed a WhatsApp group to strategise and share safety measures. However, despite their desperation, leaving Ukraine at this point might be challenging as travel is restricted.
“We definitely do not feel safe because of the escalating tensions. However, we are really trying to keep calm, strategise and contact people back home. We are trying to stay calm and see what we can do in order to move forward, but travel is restricted now,” April added.
In a press statement released on Thursday, the Namibian government stated that efforts have been made to consult stakeholders, such as the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF), to assist and ensure the safe return of Namibians who are stuck in Ukraine.
April fears that the likelihood of that happening any time soon is very slim. Nonetheless, he chooses to have faith that NSFAF will eventually be able to assist the Namibian students studying in Ukraine. However, there are still uncertainties over how and when that will happen.
“We are never really sure, even if they help us, will it be adequate? Will we have to add our own funding? They said they will be able to get a flight for us back home if we end up in Poland, but to get there is the issue.”
Russia is hitting multiple cities and bases with air strikes or shelling, and attacking by land and sea.
Russian forces had reportedly seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant – prompting concern from international nuclear watchdogs.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 137 civilians and military personnel had been killed in the country on Thursday, the first day of the Russian invasion, with 316 wounded, Al Jazeera reported.
The United Nations refugee agency said by the second day of the invasion at least 100 000 people have been displaced.
The besieged government described explosions heard in the capital, Kyiv, early Friday as “horrific rocket strikes”.
“They’re killing people and turning peaceful cities into military targets. It’s foul and will never be forgiven,” Zelenskyy said.
