After the Russian attack in Ukraine, India has evacuated almost all its citizens under Operation Ganga. Most of these citizens were students who had gone to Ukraine to study medicine. Now that the students have left, their teachers have jumped into the war.
Until about two weeks ago, Natalia Kalyaniuk was taking classes on forensic medicine and medical law at Ternopil Medical National University in western Ukraine. But now, the 37-year-old associate professor weaves camoflog nets for the Ukrainian military and helps arrange medical supplies and food for civilians and soldiers in war zones. She asks, “How can we see our house being destroyed and not do anything?”
As the Indian Express reports, thousands of Indian students have returned home due to the Russian invasion, so their teachers in Ukraine have drowned in the war effort. They remain relatively less affected by western cities such as Ternopil and Lviv.
They arrange and supply medicines in war zones, cook food for soldiers and civilians, and conduct free online and offline medical assistance classes for civilians. Some have even signed up for the army.
Kalyaniyuk is from the Army joining group, who reports to his military unit every day along with his lawyer husband Bodgan Kalyaniyuk. They are learning to fire anti-tank missiles.
According to the Indian Express, she says, “I have joined on my own volition. I drop my 10 and 5 year olds with my mother at home and go inside.” She says that many people including Indian students keep asking her about her well being on WhatsApp.
Kalyaniyuk told the Indian Express, “My job involves arranging and delivering materials like medical supplies, food, camoflog nets, etc., as per the needs of soldiers and civilians living in bunkers in war zones. Many women left Ukraine and moved to neighboring countries. I can’t leave my husband, or my friends and co-workers who defend our land.”
With martial law in force in Ukraine, most universities have declared holidays for students – there is uncertainty over when classes will resume. Meanwhile, he has converted himself into an army support center. In addition to providing military support, the medical faculty also serves military hospitals and camps to treat wounded soldiers and civilians.
She says, “My former Iraqi students contacted me and said they had collected $11,000. I sent them a list of medical supplies, and they would send them via Turkey. Our students from Poland and India are also very much ours. Helping. One of our Indian students played Ukraine’s anthem on harmonium and sent us a video, which we posted on our social media platforms. Some did not want to return to their country, but left because their parents were worried Were.”
About 1,700 Indian students study at Ternopil National Medical University and about 1,000 at Danilo Halitsky Lviv National Medical University.