Ukraine Crisis: India To Operate 26 Flights To Bring Back Indians

As many as 26 flights have been arranged over the next three days to bring back Indian citizens, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla said on Tuesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s discussion on the ongoing Ukraine issue.

“The meeting began with an expression of deep regret and condolences on the tragic death of Naveen Shekharappa, an Indian student who was studying at Kharkiv National Medical University. The PM conveyed his deep anguish on the loss of the life of an Indian national,” the Foreign Secretary said during a press briefing in New Delhi.

“Over the next three days, 26 flights have been arranged to bring out Indian citizens apart from Bucharest and Budapest,” Shringla added, adding that airports in Poland and the Slovak Republic will also be used.

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Update On India’s Evacuation Mission

Shringla provided an update on the government’s evacuation effort “When we issued our first advisory, there were an estimated 20,000 Indian students in Ukraine. Around 12,000 of those people have now departed Ukraine, accounting for 60% of the entire number of our citizens in Ukraine.”

He also stated that around half of the remaining 40% are still in fighting zones in Kharkiv and Sumy, while the other half have either arrived or are on their way to Ukraine’s western borders – they are generally out of battle zones.

Every Indian National Left Kyiv

Shringla also added that all Indian nationals have departed Kyiv. “According to our information, there are no more nationals in Kyiv, and no one has contacted us from Kyiv since. All of our inquiries suggest that every single one of our nationals has left Kyiv.”

“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,” he further informed.

Meanwhile, at least 10 people were killed and 35 others were injured after a rocket hit Ukraine’s second-biggest city Kharkiv on Tuesday, according to Kyiv’s Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko. “Freedom Square was hit by a cruise missile. There was a second hit by a similar rocket that hit the building after the rescuers arrived (in 5-7 minutes). One-third of the administration building fell,”