NEW DELHI — India on Sunday asked all its citizens, including students in Ukraine to leave the country immediately. This was the second advisory in the last five days by the Indian Embassy in Kyiv.
The families of Indian Embassy officials, too, were ordered to return to India immediately in view of the growing danger..
In the latest advisory, the Embassy, which has set up a 24X7 control centre there to help its citizens, urged Indian nationals and students to temporarily leave the country as tensions escalate.
“In view of continued tensions in Ukraine, all Indian nationals whose stay is not deemed essential and all Indian students are advised to leave Ukraine temporarily. Indian students are advised to also get in touch with respective student contractors for updates on charter flights,” the advisory read.
Indian nationals were also urged to avail of the commercial and charter flights for orderly and timely departure from there. The advisory on February 15 had asked the students to leave the country as soon as possible.
There are more than 20,000 Indian students studying in various universities there. Since tension mounted with Russia, the air fares shot up. However, till now there was no plan to evacuate Indians from Ukraine.
However, till now there was no plan to evacuate Indians from Ukraine.
Air India, which was recently sold to Tata group by the Government, will fly three special aircraft to Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26. The flights will operate to and from Boryspil International Airport, Ukraine.
India has all along reiterated its stand of a “quiet and constructive diplomacy” to resolve the crisis and said so in the United Security Council last week.