Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Embassy In Kyiv Shuts Down, Govt Says All Indians Have Left City

Kyiv, Indian Embassy: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla described the ongoing efforts being made by India in evacuating Indian nationals from Kyiv.

Indian embassy in Ukraine's capital Kyiv (ANI photo)

New Delhi: As Russia continues to attack Ukraine, the Indian embassy in Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Tuesday has shut down, according to the sources quoted by NDTV.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla described the ongoing efforts being made by India in evacuating Indian nationals from Kyiv. 

"All of our nationals have left Kyiv. The information with us is that we have no more nationals left in Kyiv, nobody has contacted us from Kyiv since. All our inquiries reveal that each and every one of our nationals has come out of Kyiv," the Foreign Secretary said.

"Had advised all our nationals in Kyiv to head to western parts & exit from there whenever they can. They can go towards Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Poland & Moldova. 7700 nationals have exited through these routes, 2000 have returned & 4000-5000 waiting for aircraft," said Shringla as quoted by news agency ANI.

Had advised all our nationals in Kyiv to head to western parts & exit from there whenever they can. They can go towards Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Poland & Moldova. 7700 nationals have exited through these routes, 2000 have returned & 4000-5000 waiting for aircraft: HV Shringla pic.twitter.com/WX6QEDltBC

— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2022

Earlier, the Indian embassy advised its nationals to leave the capital city Kyiv "urgently today" amid the deteriorating security situation due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict.

"All Indian nationals including students are advised to leave Kyiv urgently today. Preferably by available trains or through any other means available," the Indian Embassy in Ukraine tweeted.

Advisory to Indians in Kyiv

All Indian nationals including students are advised to leave Kyiv urgently today. Preferably by available trains or through any other means available.

— India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine) March 1, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting with concerned officials in view of the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, which has been jolted by the enormous military advance from Russia since last six days.

This is the fourth such meeting held by the PM in the last two days.

The meeting comes hours after an Indian student, Naveen, who hailed from Karnataka, was killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine's Kharkiv. Before the meeting, PM Modi spoke to the father of the killed student and offered condolences. 

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a high-level meeting on #UkraineRussiaCrisis pic.twitter.com/K1kP3YhjFs

— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2022

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and other senior officials were present in the meeting.