India will seek to evacuate its nationals stranded in Ukraine by road, as the east European nation closes its airspace following strikes by Russia.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is sending teams “to the land borders… in Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Romania” to assist in the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in the country.
Ukraine shares its western border with these countries, while Russia is attacking from the eastern side.
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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted that he had spoken to his counterparts in these four countries.
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla also said Indian Air Force aircraft are ready, in case they need to be pressed into service for evacuation.
Of the estimated 20,000 Indians in Ukraine, about 4,000 managed to leave the country in the last few weeks, he said.
MEA teams are being sent to Hungary’s Zahony border post, opposite Uzhhorod in Zakarpattia Oblast of Ukraine; Poland’s Krakowiec border; Slovak Republic’s Vysne Nemecke border; and Romania’s Suceava border. Indian nationals in Ukraine near these border points have been asked to contact these teams.
Earlier in the day, stating that the imposition of martial law has made movement difficult, the Indian Embassy on Thursday advised all Indian nationals in Ukraine to not leave their homes and to find the nearest bomb shelters if they hear air sirens.
Sources said India is closely monitoring the situation and the focus is on the safety and security of Indians, particularly students. The MEA control room is being expanded and made operational on a 24×7 basis. The control room has fielded 980 calls so far and answered 850 emails.
Shringla said the colleges have agreed to hold online classes, so the students can leave the country without fearing disruption in their studies.
“Our Embassy in Ukraine is functional and its advisories should be followed carefully,” said a source.
“As you are aware, Ukraine is under martial law, which has made movement difficult… We are aware that certain places are hearing air sirens/ bomb warnings. In case you are faced with such a situation, Google Maps has a list of nearby bomb shelters, many of which are located in underground metros,” the Indian Embassy said in its advisory.
“While the Mission is identifying possible solutions to the situation, please be aware of your surroundings, be safe, do not leave your homes unless necessary and carry your documents with you at all times,” it said. The Embassy said it was in touch with establishments to put up students stranded in Kyiv.
“I am reaching out to you from Kyiv. Today early morning, we all woke up to the news that Ukraine is under attack. The situation is highly tense and very uncertain and this of course is causing a lot of anxiety… The airspace is closed, railway schedules are in flux and roads are crammed. I would request everyone to stay calm and face the situation with fortitude,” the Indian Ambassador to Ukraine, Partha Satpathy, said.