First batch of Indian students from Ukraine being evacuated via Romania

The first batch of Indian students have left Chernivtsi (Ukraine) for the Romania border from where they will be sent back home via Air India flights.

"Today afternoon more than 470 students will exit the Ukraine and enter Romania through the Porubne-Siret border. We are moving Indians located at the border to neighbouring countries for onward evacuation. Efforts are underway to relocate Indians coming from the hinterland," the Embassy of India in Ukraine stated.

The camp offices set up by the Ministry of External Affairs are now operational in Lviv and Chernivtsi towns in western part of war-hit Ukraine. The MEA has deputed Russian-speaking officials to these offices. ET has learnt that besides Ukrainian authorities, Russia, Poland, Hungary and Romania are extending assistance for evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine.

The issue of safety and evacuation of Indian students figured when PM Narendra Modi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar also held several conversations with his counterparts from Central on evacuation for Indian students.

The India students will be taken to Romanian capital Bucharest, which is at a distance of 500 kilometres from the Ukrainian-Romanian border. It takes anywhere between seven to nine hours to cover the distance by road.

Air India will send two flights to Bucharest which will be boarded by these students. Romania is one of the transit countries which is being used by the Indian government to evacuate Indians trapped in Ukraine.

Preparations are also being made on the Poland-Ukraine border to allow Indian students to enter Poland for onward journey to India.

The government has been engaged on a war-footing level to evacuate stranded Indian nationals in Ukraine. The Indian embassies in Ukraine, Hungary and Poland have been issuing advisories to the citizens, assuring them full support. There are approximately 18,000 Indians present in Ukraine