India sends first evacuation flight to Ukraine amid rising tensions with Russia

Ukraine Russia issue, Indians in Ukraine, Russia
The first Evacuation flight from India has left for Ukraine
Ukraine Russia issue, Indians in Ukraine, Russia
The first Evacuation flight from India has left for Ukraine

Even as tensions in the region have risen, India’s flag carrier Air India despatched a special plane from New Delhi to Ukraine on Tuesday to begin the evacuation of hundreds of Indian students and residents from the European country.

“Yes, the first of three Air India flights to Ukraine took off from Delhi at 7.30 a.m. today.” On the condition of anonymity, an AI source told EFE that it is expected to return at 10.15 p.m.

The jet, a Dreamliner B-787 with a capacity of 254 people, would travel directly to Kiev, though the source did not specify how the available seats would be distributed.

The following two flights, which will be operated by the same aircraft, are scheduled to depart from India on February 24 and 26.

These flights follow four others previously announced by the Indian Embassy in Ukraine, which will depart Ukraine on February 25 (morning and evening), February 27, and March 6.

Furthermore, the embassy advised Indian citizens to try one of the frequent flights between the two countries, which are operated by a variety of carriers.

However, because students are hesitant to leave the country without knowing if they would be able to restart their university studies online, the embassy published a statement on Tuesday informing them that they would contact authorities to investigate the prospect of the lectures being resumed online.

After Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the self-declared republics of Donestk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region and ordered troops to move to the two enclaves, India expressed “deep concern” over the developments and called for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the ongoing Ukraine crisis at a UN Security Council emergency meeting.

TS Tirumurti, India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, stated that the safety of civilians was paramount, and that more than 20,000 Indian students and citizens were currently residing in various parts of Ukraine, including near the country’s borders, and that their safety was a top priority for New Delhi.

Advertisement

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here