PM Modi to chair high-level meeting on Ukraine crisis today. Read here
PremiumThe govt said during the day that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus is to evacuate citizens from Sumy
Amid India's efforts to evacuate its citizens from war-torn Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold another high-level meeting on Saturday morning, reported news agency ANI.
He had on Friday also chaired a meeting to discuss the ongoing evacuation drive of Indian nationals and the situation in conflict-hit Ukraine.
The PM on Wednesday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed the situation in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, where many Indian students were stuck.
An official statement said the two leaders discussed the safe evacuation of the Indians from the conflict areas in Ukraine and reviewed the situation, especially in Kharkiv.
India asked Russia to facilitate the safe passage of Indians from various conflict zones after the killing of an Indian student in shelling in Kharkiv on Tuesday.
Modi held another high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Wednesday night as the four Union ministers sent to Ukraine's neighbouring countries coordinated the stepped-up rescue efforts with the deployment of planes by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The latest meeting comes after the ministry of foreign affairs said earlier in the day that almost all Indians have left Kharkiv city of Ukraine and the main focus of the government is to evacuate citizens from Sumy.
Speaking at the special briefing on Operation Ganga, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: "From Pisochyn and Kharkiv, we should be able to clear out everyone in the next few hours, so far I know almost all Indians have left Kharkiv. The main focus is on Sumy now, the challenge remains ongoing violence and lack of transportation and the best option would be a ceasefire."
Bagchi further said that so far 298 students have been evacuated from Pisochyn.
"We will now be looking at how many are still in Ukraine. The embassy will contact those who happen to be there but haven't registered... In nearby Pisochyn...we have moved (evacuated) 298 students, hoping to complete it by today," he said.
Bagchi said that the evacuation is a problem in Sumy but assured that Indian students are safe on the campus.
"Problem is in Sumy. We strongly urge both sides for a ceasefire, hope it happens soon as there is shelling, can risk lives. Indian students are safe in campus... We have our teams now moving towards the East...The problem is shelling," he added.
The MEA said that approximately 13,300 people returned to India so far and 13 flights are scheduled for the next 24 hours.
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