SA student fleeing Ukraine crosses border into Hungary
The 24-year-old medical student was based in the city of Kharkiv - some 35 kilometers from the Russian border when she and fellow residents began to evacuate.
One of the South African students fleeing Ukraine has safely crossed the border into Hungary.
The 24-year-old medical student was based in the city of Kharkiv - some 35 kilometers from the Russian border when she and fellow residents began to evacuate.
She's chosen to remain anonymous for fears she may become a target.
Speaking to Eyewitness News from Hungary, she said there is still much confusion and misinformation around how South Africans should get to safety.
"The misinformation is so much that you don't even know which sources to trust anymore because this person could be saying come to this place, this person could be saying come to that place. You could have government officials saying they are trying to help, but then you don't see the help actually so the only thing I can say is urging people to just find a way to get across the border and then contact your embassy and see what can happen from there".
The student is now traveling through Hungary, hoping to soon reach the South African embassy in Budapest and figure out how to get home.
She said the process of getting out of a war situation has been extremely daunting, with little support from government officials.
Her advice to others trying to flee the country is to avoid fake news and rely on those who've already navigated a way out.
"Nobody is actively doing anything like nobody is holding your hand, you have your hand stretched out but nobody is grabbing it kind of situation. Nobody has news as fact so try to look for credible news sources and people who have actually gone through those specific routes otherwise, you are going to be confused, and you're going to be stuck in a country with no way out".
The 24-year-old medical student was based in the city of Kharkiv - some 35 kilometers from the Russian border when she and fellow residents began to evacuate.
She's chosen to remain anonymous for fears she may become a target.
Speaking to Eyewitness News from Hungary, she said there is still much confusion and misinformation around how South Africans should get to safety.
"The misinformation is so much that you don't even know which sources to trust anymore because this person could be saying come to this place, this person could be saying come to that place. You could have government officials saying they are trying to help, but then you don't see the help actually so the only thing I can say is urging people to just find a way to get across the border and then contact your embassy and see what can happen from there".
The student is now traveling through Hungary, hoping to soon reach the South African embassy in Budapest and figure out how to get home.
She said the process of getting out of a war situation has been extremely daunting, with little support from government officials.
Her advice to others trying to flee the country is to avoid fake news and rely on those who've already navigated a way out.
"Nobody is actively doing anything like nobody is holding your hand, you have your hand stretched out but nobody is grabbing it kind of situation. Nobody has news as fact so try to look for credible news sources and people who have actually gone through those specific routes otherwise, you are going to be confused, and you're going to be stuck in a country with no way out".
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