The announcement from Air India comes at a time of elevated tensions between the NATO countries and Russia over the situation in the eastern European nation of Ukraine. 
The announcement from Air India comes at a time of elevated tensions between the NATO countries and Russia over the situation in the eastern European nation of Ukraine. 
Tata Group-owned Air India announced on Friday that it will operate three flights between India and Ukraine. The flights will operate on February 22, 23 and 24, 2022. All three flights will land at the Boryspil International Airport in Ukraine.
In a post on Twitter, the airline added that bookings for these flights are open through Air India booking offices, website, call centres and authorised travel agents.
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The announcement from Air India comes at a time of elevated tensions between the NATO countries and Russia over the situation in the eastern European nation of Ukraine.
Yesterday, the government had said that said it does not have any immediate plan to evacuate its citizens or the diplomatic staff from Ukraine. It had added that its focus has been on ensuring the safety of its nationals than anything "larger".
"Our focus is and remains on Indian citizens, Indian students, Indian nationals rather than anything larger than that and in terms of what we need to do to ensure that they are safe," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has said at a press briefing.
Bagchi explained that were a limited number of flights between India and Ukraine under the air bubble arrangement and that the restrictions on the number of flights and the passengers have been removed that would facilitate the return of Indians who want to come back.
He had added that Indian carriers are being encouraged to operate charter flights between India and Ukraine and that there are flights through other routes such as Almaty, Sharjah, Istanbul and Dubai.
The Indian Embassy in Kyiv on Tuesday had advised Indian citizens, especially students, to temporarily leave that country in view of the uncertainties of the current situation. It also asked Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to and within Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin will oversee exercises by Russia's nuclear forces on Saturday involving the launch of ballistic and cruise missiles, the Interfax news agency cited the defence ministry as saying.
A Russian military build-up near Ukraine has stoked fears that Moscow may attack its neighbour to the west. Russia denies any such plans.
Also read: Russia-Ukraine tensions: Putin to oversee nuclear drill on Saturday, says report
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