Why these trapped Ghanaian students in Ukraine are drinking melted snow

The war in Ukraine, brought on them by Russia, continues to rage; with many countries around the world concerned about its citizens trapped in the country.

Ghana’s government has expressed great worry about its citizens in Sumy, one of the Ukrainian cities cut away due to the attacks.

The latest update coming from the BBC says that some of these students; Africans especially, are being forced to melt snow just so that they get water to drink.

This is also because the students in the pummeled north-eastern city of Sumy are said to have run out of drinking water.

Additionally, the students have run out of food and even cash, the BBC reports.

The students from Ghana, Nigeria, and Somali, who, according to an Indian student, Vipin Yadav, speaking with the BBC, are estimated to be about 1,300, are said to be among hundreds of foreign nationals stuck in Sumy.

Yadav explained further that there has been nothing to eat for about four to five days

On Friday, March 4, 2022, some 24 Ghanaian students who were studying in Ukraine but managed to flee to some of the neighbouring countries, successfully returned home with the support of the government.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, who welcomed the returnees, said that the government of Hungary had expressed readiness at offering all displaced Ghanaian students from Ukraine an opportunity to finish up their education in their country.

According to him, this is a great opportunity for all those students who are willing to jump for it, adding that the people of Hungary are ready to match up all the facilities they had in Ukraine.

While commiserating with the returnee students, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong said that the Russian government had agreed to help with the easy passage of Ghanaian citizens still stuck in some parts of Ukraine.

“The good thing is, as at this morning, after (sic) the Russian authorities and the president, using various avenues from the EU and the AU, President Putin has finally come out to say that they are going to open a safe passage for students, citizens who are caught up in Sumy, Kharkiv and other areas. That is going to start immediately,” he said.

He also explained that the Red Cross had jumped on this, offering to help Ghana in its evacuation plans.

“The Red Cross has also agreed to join and participate in the exercise of evacuating our citizens who are caught up in Sumy and in Kharkiv and the other areas. That is good news,” he added.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, added that there is good news for the students who are willing to take advantage of it.

“The other good news we are hearing is that the government of Hungary has agreed to take those of you who’d be preparing to transfer to universities or to continue your education in Hungary. And they are prepared to match whatever facilities, whatever financial assistance or fees that you were paying.

“So, there’s a window of opportunity and a window of hope and all is not lost even though nobody will wish you go through what you went through,” he told them.

In total, it is estimated that more than 1,000 Ghanaian students were living in Ukraine until Russia invaded the country.

So far, Ghana has undertaken two repatriations.