Stories Of Indonesian Citizens In Chernihiv: Four Days Without Water And Electricity, Bombing Factory Shelters, Russia Doesn't Look At Military Civilians

One of the Indonesian citizens who was successfully evacuated from Chernihiv, Iskandar (left). (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - After a long 15-hour journey from Chernihiv, they were successfully evacuated to Lviv, to cross the border to Poland later today.

One of the Indonesian citizens who survived and was successfully evacuated was Iskandar. With a trembling voice he said, along with eight other people they managed to get out of Chernihiv on March 17 yesterday.

"Thanks to Mr. President, Mrs. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ambassador to Ukraine, Mrs. Ambassador to Poland, Head of BIN and Athan. Without the hard work of ladies and gentlemen, we would not be here," he said in a trembling voice from within. a car carrying a group of Indonesian citizens to Poland, during a virtual press statement Friday evening March 18.

He further said that Chernihiv had been in an unsafe condition for the past four days, including with no access to electricity and water.

"The last four days there was no electricity, no water. The factory where we were hiding was hit by a bomb, yesterday we got news after it got out. Thank God we were spared," he said with emotion.

Asked about the confusion about the conditions in Ukraine, Iskandar said that as far as he knows, there is no such thing as a separatist. There is a civilian army that moves with the coordination of the local authorities. Don't dare to do anything reckless.

"I went out, there were many Ukrainian soldiers, they were friendly and they reprimanded me. As far as I know, there were no separatists," he said.

"The bombings were indeed carried out by Russian planes, we don't see which one is civilian or which is the military. The sports hall was also bombed. Ballistic missiles and aircraft bombs were destructive," he said.

As previously reported, Foreign Minister Retno confirmed that nine Indonesian citizens trapped in Chernihiv, Ukraine, were successfully evacuated to Poland on Friday. Foreign Minister Retno.

With the successful evacuation of nine Indonesian citizens from Chernihiv, a total of 11 Indonesian citizens are currently in the Polish safe zone. Those who will then undergo a medical examination, before being flown to Indonesia on 20 March.

A total of 133 Indonesian citizens in Ukraine were successfully evacuated. Meanwhile, 23 others chose to stay because they were married to Ukrainian citizens and the other nine were essential staff of the Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv currently operating from Lviv.