Indian Embassy in Ukraine planning alternative routes for evacuation, MEA expands control room in Delhi

Embassy of India in Ukraine has set up a 24-hour helpline, which can be accessed as per contact details

Indian Embassy in Ukraine planning alternative routes for evacuation,  MEA expands control room in Delhi

Kyiv: The Embassy of India in Ukraine on Thursday issued an advisory to Indians urging them to remain calm and safe wherever they are- be it homes, hotel and accommodations etc. 

Earlier, the Embassy asked all who are travelling to Kyiv to return to their cities temporarily, especially towards safer places along with the western bordering countries.

Meanwhile, the Embassy is planning alternative routes for evacuation of Indians in Ukraine. Following Russian attack, Ularinian airspace has been closed.  The advisory asked all Indian Indians tocarry passports and necessary documents. 

India calls for restrain to both Russia and Ukraine, it is also said that war between two countries severely destabilizes the region.

"The situation is in danger of spiralling into a major crisis. We express our deep concern over the developments, which if not handled carefully, may well undermine the peace and security of the region," India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti said.

Read: https://24x7liveindia.com/ukraine-crisis-zelenskyy-reaches-out-to-us-joe-biden-to-meet-g7-leaders-tomorrow

In a second advisory issued on Sunday, India has asked its citizens including students who are living in Ukraine to return if their stay in the east European nation "is not deemed essential". The embassy in Ukraine said Indian citizens should look for any available commercial or charter flight to get out of the country amid tensions over a possible invasion by Russia. 

The first of three evacuation flights to be operated under the flight number — AI1947 — departed from Delhi Tuesday. Two more flights are planned later this week on Thursday and Saturday.

In addition, Embassy of India in Ukraine has set up a 24-hour helpline, which can be accessed as per contact details given below:

24*7 Emergency Helpline: +380 997300428, +380 997300483

Email: cons1.kyiv@mea.gov.in

President of Russia Vladimir Putin announced a Russian military operation in Ukraine with explosions heard in Kyiv and other parts of the country. Weeks of diplomacy to avert war and sanctions on Russia failed to deter Putin, who has massed over 150,000 troops on the Ukraine border, reports AFP.

Explosions were heard in Kharkiv, a major Ukrainian city just south of the Russian border. Ukrainian forces in the city have been battling Moscow-backed insurgents since 2014