Ukraine invasion
1000 Indians still stranded in war-torn Ukraine, trying to arrange buses for evacuation: Centre
New Delhi/IBNS: At least 1000 Indians are still stranded in conflict-hit areas of eastern Ukraine, the government said on Friday adding that they are arranging buses to evacuate them, which is proving to be the biggest challenge right now.
About 700 Indians are stuck in Sumy while 300 are in Kharkiv city.
"We will continue Operation Ganga till the last person gets evacuated. Roughly 2,000-3,000 (more Indians) are likely to be there (in Ukraine), the number can vary," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a briefing.
"Our primary focus is to get Indian students out of conflict zones in eastern Ukraine. We are urging both sides (Russia and Ukraine) to find ways so that we can take out our citizens. A local ceasefire would help," he added.
Indian medical students stranded at the Sumy State University issued a desperate plea for help earlier in the day.
They said some 800-900 were trapped in their hostels without much food or water amidst gunfire, shelling and freezing temperature outside.
"We request Narendra Modi ji, please take us out of here, or else we will be killed. If we walk out from here on our own, we will be killed. We request the government of India, please help us," the students had requested in a video.
The Indian embassy last week warned of intense fighting in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv.
According to reports, trains and buses have stopped running in Sumy while roads and bridges out of the city have been destroyed alongside heavy street fighting.
Bagchi said around 20,000 Indians have left Ukraine's borders since India issued its first travel advisories in mid-February.
Image credit: UNI
He said 15 flights landed in India as part of the evacuation mission called Operation Ganga during the last 24 hours, bringing back more than 3,000 nationals.
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