India to nationals: Leave Ukraine, avoid travel, situation of uncertainties

Last month, the Indian envoy at the UN put the number of Indian students in Ukraine at 20,000, up from the 18,000 estimated in 2020 by the Indian Embassy in Kyiv.

In a statement Tuesday, the Embassy of India in Kyiv said: “In view of the uncertainties of the current situation in Ukraine, Indian nationals in Ukraine, particularly students whose stay is not essential, may consider leaving temporarily. Indian nationals are also advised to avoid all non-essential travel to and within Ukraine.

“Indian nationals are requested to keep the Embassy informed about the status of their presence in Ukraine to enable the Embassy to reach them where required. The Embassy continues to function normally to provide all services to Indian nationals in Ukraine,” it stated.

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The move comes amid concerns that Russia might invade Ukraine. Although Moscow denies it has any invasion plans, it has massed over 130,000 troops near the Ukrainian border. The US has warned Russia of severe consequences if there is an invasion.

The majority of Indian students study in medical colleges in Ukraine, a popular destination for the last couple of decades.

The advisory made it clear that those whose presence is not required in Ukraine should leave the country. This also means that since Kyiv airport is still functional and regular commercial flights are operating from Ukraine, Indian citizens should make use of the opportunity.

Dutch flag carrier KLM has halted all flights to Kyiv and said it will not operate in Ukrainian airspace, the first major carrier to announce suspension of service as tensions mount over Ukraine.

For now, the Indian Embassy has been collecting information about Indian nationals present in Ukraine. It has asked Indians to register themselves with the Embassy website, through a Google form circulated a couple of weeks ago.

Since registration of Indian nationals is not mandatory, many times the Embassy is not aware of their presence in the country. It began the exercise to get an idea of the extent of the Indian presence there. This will help them to devise any evacuation plan, if necessary.

More than a dozen countries have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine amid warnings from Western powers that an invasion by Russia could be imminent. The US, the UK and Germany are among those who have told their nationals to leave.

Many countries, including Australia, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands and Japan, have also told their citizens to leave Ukraine. Some have also evacuated diplomatic staff and their families.