LAST UPDATE | 8 Mar 2022
THE FAMILY OF Irish medical student Racheal Diyaolu, who was living in the city of Sumi in northeastern Ukraine, have said that her progress toward the EU border was “slowed down considerably” today due to car troubles.
Racheal’s sister Christiana said the 19-year-old had planned to cross either the Polish or Moldovan border today but the car she and eight others are travelling in suffered several punctures.
Christiana posted a video on Twitter this evening giving an update on Racheal’s progress: “Unfortunately there isn’t much to update at the moment. They are still not yet at the border, they have experienced a lot of car problems today.
“They’ve had a few punctured here and there which has slowed down their progress considerably.”
Christiana said the group will “hopefully make it to the border tomorrow” after having to stop overnight due to a curfew being in force locally.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has advised the some 52 Irish citizens still in Ukraine to follow curfews in force in Kyiv or elsewhere in the country.
The DFA said that breaking curfew and moving around when there is active conflict ongoing or potential for this to occur is “extremely dangerous” given “authorities have stated clearly that those venturing outside will be regarded as members of sabotage groups”.
Ukrainian authorities stated previously that they believe Russian sabotage groups are operating in the country and warned that anyone breaking the curfew will be considered enemy saboteurs.
Earlier, Christiana said her family were told by the DFA that once Racheal reaches her destination they will do their best to put arrangements in place to get her home.
Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that Racheal will receive the “necessary support” she needs from the DFA to get back to Ireland.
“We and most European states have withdrawn our embassy staff from on the ground in Ukraine, but we still continue to be in touch with all of our citizens,” said O’Gorman.
We will provide Rachel with the support to leave Ukraine. One can only imagine what a stressful time it is for her sister and her entire family but we’ll provide that necessary support.
Racheal’s sister Christiana told the same programme that the Diyaolu family were only contacted by the DFA for the first time last night, and “they have told us that they’re going to do their best to arrange something”.
“Nothing has been set in stone. Nothing official has been passed on to us, but I’m assuming there will be some kind of travel arranged for her but we don’t know,” said Christiana.
‘She’s nearly there’
The last few days have been a “nightmare” for the Diyaolu family in Carlow but with Racheal close to the border they are hopeful that she will be home soon.
“They’ve met a lot of checkpoints along the way. They’ve been stopped by the Ukrainian and Russian military but so far so good, they’ve been able to pass smoothly,” Christiana said.
With Racheal’s phone being used as a sat-nav during the day, Christiana said they only hear from her once their car is at a stop: “It’s been really difficult to keep constant communication with her, but she does update us as much as she can.
“She’s been positive the entire journey since day one. So she’s holding on to that spirit because she knows she’s nearly there, and she’s nearly at safety. So she’s remaining positive and hoping for the best.”
Racheal had been studying medicine at Sumy State University, 50 kilometres from the Russian border when Ukraine was invaded.
Speaking with The Journal last week while sheltering in her student accommodation, Racheal said her daily routine involved monitoring the military situation, keeping in communication with family and routine trips to her building’s bunker.
Christiana said she and Racheal heard through TikTok that two Scottish volunteers were attempting to get people out of the country and were travelling to Sumy.
The rescuers, Joseph McCarthy and Gary Taylor, got back to the Diyaolu sisters quickly with the offer of space for Racheal. The daring rescue attempt appeared at first to have failed over the weekend after the volunteers encountered hostile Russian soldiers on their way to collect people.
Joseph and Gary are landscape gardeners from Scotland who travelled to Ukraine in the immediate aftermath of the invasion and have already managed to transport several stranded civilians to Romania and Poland.
Christiana told Ireland AM today how amazing Gary and Joe have been describing them as “completely selfless”.
In videos posted on TikTok this morning the men said that Ukrainian police had given them a letter to help pass through checkpoints.
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