Digital Desk: Dr U P R Menon did not see any fire on Thursday morning at Kyiv. All he could hear was the sound of a blast. But it wasn't until later, through media reports, that he realised Kyiv was also under attack by Russia, which had declared war on Ukraine.
On Wednesday morning, there was an emergency. Ukraine also declared martial law on Thursday.
According to the 61-year-old, who has lived in Ukraine since 1987, people are worried, but they are also trained, "Every institution has a bunker, and it is required to have one. It shields against shelling and bombing. As of now, no evacuation plans have been implemented. The mayor of Kyiv has asked us not to worry and to stay at home. We expect world leaders to intervene and for peace to prevail." as tensions rose in Ukraine, Menon told TNIE.
In the 1980s, Menon relocated to Odessa, Ukraine, which was then a part of the Soviet Union. Menon moved to Ukraine permanently after finishing his medical education and working for a short time in India. He married a Ukrainian woman.
He relocated to Moscow and worked there for a while before returning to Ukraine. Menon, an Edappally native who has settled in Kyiv, is a consultant to Ukraine's Ministry of Health and the president of the Indian Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association in that country.
However, he stated that the unexpected turn of events was not expected so soon. "The situation is indeed perilous. However, I can see through my window that people are not in a panic. I don't see any army or tankers," Menon observed. Menon has a family that includes his wife Natalia Menon, an engineer who works in a furniture company, and son Rajeev Menon, who works in logistics.
Menon stated that he is in contact with his family in India and is attempting to reassure them. "They're a worried bunch, but I assure them that we're fine and that they shouldn't worry about us. Until now, India has maintained a neutral stance. But we are hoping that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi will step in."
Restrictions have been imposed as a result of the martial law, he said. People can go to work, but they are not permitted to travel outside of the country. "We are required to carry identity proof and relevant documents with us whenever we go out, and other restrictions apply."
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