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India considering ways to evacuate its citizens as Ukraine closed its airspace for civilian flights

India is considering different ways to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine as commercial flights can no longer land in the war-torn country. In view of the closure of the Ukrainian airspace, alternative arrangements are being made for the evacuation of Indian nationals. A team from Indian Embassy in Hungary has been dispatched to the border post-Zohanyi to coordinate and provide assistance to facilitate exit of Indians from Ukraine. In a tweet, the Mission said, it is working with Hungary government to provide all possible assistance. India is closely monitoring the situation and evacuation plans are being worked out.

External Affairs Ministry teams are also being sent to the land borders with Ukraine in Poland, Slovak Republic, and Romania. The team from Poland is on its way to Krakowiec land border with Ukraine. The team from Slovak Republic is on its way to Vysne Nemecke land border and the team from Romania is on its way to Suceava.

The Ministry has advised Indian nationals in Ukraine near these border points to contact these teams in case they wish to depart Ukraine. The contact numbers are available on the Ministry website.

Around 20,000 Indians are stuck in Ukraine after Russia launched a military operation against its neighbour. The Indian embassy in Kyiv issued three separate advisories yesterday. Indian ambassador to Ukraine, Partha Satpathy, called on Indians to face the current situation with “calm and fortitude” as the situation is “highly tense and very uncertain”. He said Ministry of External Affairs and the embassy are working on a “mission mode” to find a “solution to this difficult situation”. The ambassador said the Indian embassy in Kyiv continues to remain open and operate.

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