Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday announced that the state will bear expenditure to evacuate the students of Tamil Nadu stranded in Ukraine amid escalating tension between Ukraine and Russia.
A press release from the Chief Minister's office said, "As 5,000 students who went to pursue their higher education are stranded in the foreign nation, helpline numbers have been provided by the state, district and national authorities to extend help for them. Till 10 am on Friday, 916 students and Tamil Nadu people settled in Ukraine contacted Tamil Nadu government."
In this backdrop, it said, "TN CM Stalin announced that the travel expenditure to evacuate them will be borne by the state government."
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The state government has also released the contact number of Tamil Nadu External Affairs Secretary and helpline numbers for the stranded students to remain in touch with Tamil Nadu government.
On Thursday, Russia declared war against Ukraine in an address and soon explosions were heard in Ukraine. Later the Ukrainian government in retaliation also took to arms against Russia. Till now, several militants have been reported dead on both sides.
Amid the tension, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin on Thursday also wrote to Union External Affairs Minister Jaishankar urging the Union government to operate special mission flights to evacuate the Tamils stranded in the foreign nation.