Just two days before Russia invaded Ukraine, Bhuvan Sharma had bought a sprawling villa near Boryspil international airport. Sharma, a trader who is also into car services, had saved up to renovate the property and buy furniture. Over the past two weeks, he has used his money to help hundreds of Indian students in Sumy flee danger.

Sharma said he is with 150 students in Sumy and is trying to arrange buses for them to be taken to safer areas. Sharma said he helped 50 students move out of Sumy on Wednesday. Janak Shah, an Indian national who is with Sharma, said, “We need help as we are stuck in a bombing zone. We are not allowed to go outside.”