The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday notified that it will be evacuating Indians from Ukraine over the next 3 days, with the help of 26 flights. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla notified of the development soon after PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine situation. Apart from Romania and Hungary, airports of Poland and Slovak Republic will also be used.
"We had an estimated 20,000 Indian students in Ukraine at the time that we issued our first advisory. From that number approximately 12,000 have since left Ukraine, which is 60% of the total number of our citizens in Ukraine", Shringla said.
"Of the remaining 40%, roughly half remain in conflict zone in Kharkiv, Sumy area and the other half have either reached the western borders of Ukraine or are heading towards the western part of Ukraine - they are generally out of conflict areas", he further added.
Shringla also said that all the Indians have been evacuated from Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city and the most susceptible to possible shelling from Russian forces.
"Earlier this afternoon I separately called in the Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine. I reiterated strongly our demand for urgent safe passage for all Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and other cities in the conflict area", Shringla said.
About 40% Indians are still remaining in Ukraine. Of these, roughly half remain in conflict zone in Kharkiv, Sumy area & the other half have either reached the western borders of Ukraine or are heading towards the western part of Ukraine.
PM Modi yesterday spoke to his counterparts from Slovak Republic and Romania and sought assistance for evacuation of Indians from Ukraine. "Today, the PM spoke to President of Poland in a similar endeavour. He also received calls from Presidents of France and the EU Commission", Shringla said.
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