Ukraine Crisis | MEA Requests For Local Ceasefire, Says Evacuation Looks Difficult Without That

Addressing a press conference, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also informed that as many as 16 evacuation flights, including IAF's C-17 aircraft, are scheduled for the next 24 hours.

New Delhi: Over 20,000 Indians have left the Ukraine border since we issued our advisories, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday, adding that there are more people, but it's reassuring to see that these many people have left the war-torn country.

Addressing a press conference, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also informed that as many as 16 evacuation flights, including IAF's C-17 aircraft, are scheduled for the next 24 hours.

The Government of India had requested Ukrainian authorities for special trains but has not heard anything yet, Bagchi said. Meanwhile, Indian authorities are arranging buses for its citizens.

"Highest attention on eastern Ukraine particularly Kharkiv and Pisochin. We have managed to get some buses there. 5 buses already operational, more buses later in the evening; 900-1000 Indians stranded in Pisochin and 700+ in Sumy. We are concerned about Sumy," he said.

Speaking about India's efforts to bring back its citizens, Bagchi said that evacuation looks difficult without a ceasefire.

"We urge the parties concerned - Ukraine and Russia - to have a local ceasefire at least, so that we can evacuate our people and students," he added.

"Can't say we are moving downward (as of yet...). We will continue Operation Ganga till the last person gets evacuated. Roughly 2000-3000 (more Indians) likely to be there, the number can vary," MEA spokesperson informed.

He also said that India has evacuated one Bangladeshi national and received a request from a Nepalese national for evacuation.

Bachi also reiterated that government is not aware of any Indian being held hostage. "They (Indians) are facing difficulty due to security reasons particularly in Ukraine's Kharkiv, but no hostage situation reported so far, Bagchi said.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry has stated that 11 civilian and four Indian Air Force (IAF) flights will return to India on Saturday with Indians from Ukraine's neighbouring countries.

The 11 civilian flights are expected to bring back more than 2,200 Indians, with 10 landing in Delhi and one in Mumbai, the ministry said in a statement earlier in the day.

India has been evacuating its citizens through special flights, under Operation Ganga, from Ukraine's western neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to Russia's military operation.