Amid much chaos and confusion on the evacuation of Indian nationals from war-torn Ukraine, the first Air India flight carrying 219 citizens took off from Romania.
The flight will land in Mumbai at around 6:30 pm. This is the first flight from the former Soviet republic to India after the Russia-Ukraine crisis escalated into a full-blown invasion. It was earlier scheduled to land in Mumbai at 4 pm.
In one of the video clips, Rahul Shrivastava, India ambassador to Romania, can be heard reassuring students that their mission will not be complete if even one Indian citizen is left behind. Over the flight’s public address system, he urges those who are in touch with other Indians who are still in Ukraine to call and reassure them that the government of India is making all possible efforts to get them back. “Whenever in life when things get difficult, remember this day. 26th February. Remember, everything will be fine,” he says.
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar said he is personally monitoring the evacuation efforts and the government is making progress.
“Our teams are working on the ground round the clock. I am personally monitoring,” he said in a Tweet.
Another Air India flight carrying stranded Indians is scheduled to land in Delhi today.
Since the Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since the morning of February 24, the evacuation flights will operate out of neighbouring countries.
While the students who were evacuated and brought to the Romanian capital Bucharest praised Indian officials for constantly being in touch and “taking care of everything”, many other students still stranded in bunkers have claimed that no help has been forthcoming.
“No special flights have been accommodated for us. We have been staying at this bunker…it’s really hard for us. We request you to send help as soon as possible,” a student from Bangalore said in a video appeal shared by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.
The Indian embassy in Ukraine today advised its citizens not to move to any of the border posts without coordination with its officials. Thousands of Indians have been stranded in the country and are desperately seeking a way out.
“The situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and the Embassy is working continuously with our Embassies in our neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens,” the Indian embassy in Ukraine tweeted this morning.
The embassy said that it’s finding it “increasingly difficult” to help Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation
