New Delhi: To facilitate the safe return of Indian students from Ukraine amid the threat of a Russian invasion, Air India on Friday said it would operate three flights to Ukraine next week.
Air India, owned by the Tata Group, tweeted that it would operate three flights between India and the Boryspil International Airport in Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26.
"Booking open through Air India booking offices, website, call centre and authorised travel agents," Air India tweeted.
There are said to be more than 20,000 Indian students in Ukraine, most of them studying medicine.
Tensions escalated this week between Moscow and the NATO countries over Russia's increasing military build-up close to the Ukrainian border.
Reports said Russia has positioned around 1 lakh troops near its border with Ukraine, triggering concerns among the NATO countries about a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.
READ | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: No Immediate Plans To Evacuate Indians, Says MEA
However, Russia has been denying that it plans to invade Ukraine. Russia claimed on Friday that it was withdrawing more tanks and other armoured vehicles from areas near Ukraine's border.
Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Announcements By India For Its Citizens
The announcement by Air India comes even as the government said there were no immediate plans to evacuate Indian nationals in Ukraine.
However, the Centre removed curbs on the number of flights that can be operated between India and Ukraine under the bilateral air bubble arrangement.
"No immediate evacuation plans, so don't have any special flights.However, there were limited number of flights under air bubble arrangements. Restrictions on number of flights and passengers have been removed. Indian carriers being encouraged to operate chartered flights between India and Ukraine," the MEA spokesperson said.
The Indian embassy in Ukraine has asked its citizens not to panic over reports of people not getting flight tickets.
"Embassy of India has been receiving several appeals about non-availability of flights from Ukraine to India. In this regard, students are advised not to resort to panic, but book the earliest available and convenient flights to travel to India," the embassy had tweeted.
The MEA has also set up a control room to provide information and assistance to Indian nationals in Ukraine. The contact details of the control room in Delhi are: Phone +91 11 23012113, +91 11 23014104, +91 11 23017905 and 1800118797 (toll free). Email: situationroom@mea.gov.in.
The contact details of the helpline in the Indian embassy in Ukraine are: Phone, +380 997300428 +380 997300483, Email: cons1.kyiv@mea.gov.in.