Ukraine Crisis: PM Modi Chairs Another High-Level Meet To Discuss India's Evacuation Drive

India has said that the main focus now is on the evacuation of around 700 Indian students stranded in Ukraine's Sumy which has been witnessing bombings and airstrikes.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday evening chaired yet another high-level meeting to discuss the situation in war-hit Ukraine and India's evacuation efforts to bring back its citizens, news agency ANI reported.

This is PM Modi's sixth such meeting since Sunday. 

The meeting was attended by senior leaders and bureaucrats including Minister of External Affairs (MEA) S Jaishankar, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and others.

According to reports, the meeting was called by the Prime Minister to oversee India's evacuation programme and other aspects of the ongoing Ukraine invasion ever since Russia launched a military offensive against the European country on February 24.

Soon after a war-like situation emerged in Ukraine after Russia launched an all-out military offensive in the European nation, India launched "Operation Ganga" to bring back its nationals and sent four Union ministers as PM's special envoys to neighbouring countries of the war-torn nation to coordinate the evacuation.

Meanwhile, India has "strongly pressed" the Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire in Sumy to ensure a safe passage for around 700 Indian students stuck there.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India's main focus is now on evacuating the students from Sumy, and that the safe exit of Indians from Kharkiv and Pisochyn is almost complete.

"We are deeply concerned about Indian students in Sumy, Ukraine. Have strongly pressed Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire to create a safe corridor for our students," Bagchi said.

Over the last few days, Indians stranded in Ukraine's Sumy have been sending SOS messages and posting videos on social media, urging Indian government to arrange immediate evacuation from the conflict zone as the city has been witnessing air strikes.

According to the government of India, over 13,300 people have been brought back home in 63 flights in country's evacuation mission. The spokesperson also said 13 flights are scheduled for the next 24 hours to bring back Indians under 'Operation Ganga'.