Karnataka govt helps 13 students evacuated from Ukraine reach homes

Karanataka government has facilitated the evacuation of 13 students hailing from the state so far and further helping them to reach their respective places.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Russian military operations in Ukraine, the Karanataka government has facilitated the evacuation of 13 students hailing from the state so far and further helping them to reach their respective places.

Speaking to media, Ravi Kumar, who mans Karnataka's 'Help Desk' at Delhi's IGI Airport, said, "We have directions from the state government to facilitate further travel of the students who are being evacuated. So far we have helped 13 students reach their respective destinations in Karnataka." The Karnataka government has set up a 'Help Desk' and appointed nodal officers to facilitate the safe movement of the people being evacuated from Ukraine who hail from the state to their respective destinations.

The state government in a media statement said that the nodal officers will coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Embassy of India, Kyiv and provide support for the evacuation of stranded people from the state. "Ukraine is under martial law and the prevailing situation is uncertain. The Ukraine Air space is closed. Hence, the schedule of special flights (earlier planned) stands cancelled, which has made the evacuation of stranded people in Ukraine difficult. The Embassy of India in Kyiv is open and fully operational and is making all efforts to reach out to the stranded people from India and working on a mission mode to find a solution."

Meanwhile, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Karnataka Minister R Ashoka on Sunday welcomed students of the state who arrived in Bengaluru from Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Minister Ashoka said, "Today 12 people from Mumbai arrived and 18 more from Delhi will arrive. The state Revenue Dept arranged everything at Karnataka Bhawan. They are staying there. Booked flight tickets to Bengaluru for Kannadigas. As per discussion with CM Basavaraj Bommai, the revenue department has decided to bear the expenses of Indians returning from Ukraine."

"Another set of 5 batches is arriving at 10.15 today. So, 18 confirmed at Delhi Airport today. As of now, we have details of 386 people belonging to Karnataka, stranded in Ukraine," said Manoj Rajan, Commissioner, Karnataka State Disaster Mgmt Authority, appointed as the nodal officer.

Earlier on Friday, a number of explosions were heard in the capital city of Ukraine as the Russian special military operation entered the second day, local media reported. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions -- Donetsk and Luhansk -- as independent entities. Later, Putin ordered special military operations "to protect" the people in the Donbas region.

Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations and imposed sanctions on Moscow. Amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, several airlines are operating special flights, including Air India. A special evacuation flight of Air India carrying 250 Indians landed at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Sunday. Air India's AI-1942 has been operated as a special charter flight from Bucharest to Delhi Airport. The first flight from Romania carrying 219 Indian students reached Mumbai on Saturday evening.

(ANI)