TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Most Taiwanese students have evacuated from active war zones in Ukraine, while two have insisted on staying put.

CNA reported that out of the 12 Taiwanese students studying in Ukraine, three had returned to Taiwan, while five are traveling to western Ukraine and two to Poland. One chose to remain in east Ukraine and one in south Ukraine, despite being urged to leave by the Taiwanese representative office.

A student named Simon told CNA that he was making his way to the west of Ukraine where fighting is less intense. “I’ll go as far as I can go; I’m definitely tired, but I’m just glad to be alive.”

He said the representative office had been urging Taiwanese citizens to leave over the past few days, but students misjudged from experience and did not expect war to actually break out. Another reason that made students hesitate was the cost of quarantine hotels in Taiwan, which is a burden.

Simon said that he received help from the representative office in Moscow to apply for documents for his return to Taiwan.

Lee Yen-i (李彥儀), head of the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Department of International and Cross-strait Education, was cited as saying that Taiwanese representative offices will do their best to help students with urgent financial needs.

Meanwhile, the government is concerned about the student who insisted on staying in east Ukraine, said Lee. The Taiwanese representative office was told that the student has stocked up on necessities and found a safe location.