Ecuadorian Javier Donoso has lived in Kiev, Ukraine since 2008. He is 37 years old and works as a representative and tutor for students from Latin America.
He is co-founder of AlfaZeta International Education and since 03:00 on Thursday, February 24, he has not slept due to the alarming situation in that country.
Dialogue with Diario EL UNIVERSO an hour before the start of Friday, February 25, and recounts what happened after the military operation ordered by the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in towns in Ukraine near its border.
“I found out through a phone call from my brother-in-law. He called us at approximately 03:00 that the bombardments were already beginning.
Ecuadorians in Ukraine will take refuge in bunkers as a last option; They demand a response from the Foreign Ministry
There were simultaneous attacks on some cities of the country such as Kharkov, Lustk and Odessa. These cities were simultaneously attacked with gunfire, missiles and so we started the day.
Around 05:00 we saw movement in the streets and people began to leave to evacuate. Those who had a car took their things, took their vehicles and left. This caused a vehicle collapse.
As there was a lot of traffic, people obviously got scared and wanted to get out. After 11:00 my wife and I were calm, but by noon there was an alert: that they were going to attack in the capital and very close to the center.
We went to the shelter and got into the underground subway, we were about 50 meters underground. And that’s where we were stuck. Each of us went out with our backpack, we had some clothes, food, water, documents, money and we got in there to wait. We were maybe 50 people.
They kept coming, some came in, some came out and we were waiting. We watched the news.
We thanked God. We were in the shelter for about three hours and after that, they announced that everything is fine, that there is no movement and we returned to the house.
Since 18:00 we are listening to the news, seeing things as they are happening.
Ecuadorians are found in these Ukrainian cities
There is practically no longer much attack by Russia because the Ukrainian Army is responding. They’re not letting the troops advance any further. They have already recovered those spaces that the Russian troops had advanced, and the situation is quite active in a good way.
Obviously it is a war and there is not going to be something good, but the Ukrainian troops are advancing in a very good way.
From 22:00 on Thursday we are at home because there is a curfew until 06:00 on Friday. We will not be able to leave unless the exit alarms to the shelters are turned on.
Supposedly they were going to bomb, but it did not happen. It was just scaring us nothing more with the news of the possible attack.
student manager
Together with my wife we have the company AlfaZeta International Education since 2010. We take care of bringing students from Latin America, we represent the students before the Ukrainian universities.
Foreign Ministry enables emergency channels for Ecuadorians in Ukraine
And that is the other concern we have to calm them downcontrol them, mobilize them if that is going to be the case, give all the information to the parents.
possible transfer
I just had a call with the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry to see how they are going to evacuate the boys from here. We have the support of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, who allow us to enter their countries without a Schengen visa and we are going to coordinate the mobilization of students to the border.
Together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are looking at the best options so that they can reach Ecuador. But, through any of the three countries we can enter.
Story of Ecuadorians, who would take refuge in bunkers
The transfer depends on each student because many want to get out of this situation and return again and continue with your studies. There are others who already want to return completely (to Ecuador). So all these things we have to coordinate and see something more individual with each student.
In Kiev, there are currently about 45 Ecuadorian students from different universities and we have to coordinate with everyone and see the best alternative.
I think it would be the city of Lviv, bordering Poland. It is the most direct. The Red Cross is also supporting us and it is a coordination that we hope will not take so long and we will try to do it as soon as possible.
It’s already close to 23:00 (in Ukraine) the traffic is still the same. There is still a lot of collapse on the highways. It’s going to be a long night”. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
