New Delhi: Amid a looming threat of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Indian embassy in Kyiv has issued an advisory today asking Indian nationals in Ukraine, especially students to leave the country temporarily if their stay is not essential.
"Given the uncertainties of the current situation in Ukraine, Indian nationals in Ukraine, particularly students whose stay is not essential, may consider leaving temporarily", the advisory from the embassy read.
"Indian Nationals are also advised to avoid all non-essential travel to and within Ukraine. Indian nationals are requested to keep the embassy informed about the status of their presence in Ukraine to enable the embassy to reach them where required. The embassy continues to function normally to provide all services to Indian nationals in Ukraine," it added.
The order comes a day after parents of Indian students studying in Ukraine reached out to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Revenue Minister Rajendra Trivedi, seeking to bring their children home. Around 20,000 Indian students are studying medicine and engineering in the east European country.
Also read: Indian students send SOS from Ukraine, worried parents want MEA intervention
According to sources, the Embassy of India in Kyiv had reached out to the Indian nationals for getting them registered for evacuation in case a conflict flares up between Russia and Ukraine. Several nations including the west have already asked their nationals to leave the country at the earliest as the situation in Ukraine remains precarious. However, India so far chose to keep silent over the Ukraine development.
Last month, India's Ministry of External Affairs said that the government was closely following the developments related to Ukraine, including the high-level discussion between US and Russia. "Our embassy in Kyiv is also monitoring local developments. We call for a peaceful resolution of the situation through sustained diplomatic efforts for long term peace and stability in the region and beyond", MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said earlier.
Meanwhile, as tensions escalate, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the US will temporarily relocate its embassy in Ukraine from the capital city of Kyiv to the western city of Lviv. Earlier, he also said that a path of diplomacy is still open to resolving the Ukraine crisis while underlining that the risk of Russian invasion was high enough.
Also read: US temporarily relocates its embassy in Ukraine
Neighbouring countries fear that a war could result in a massive refugee crisis. Leaders from all across the world including the UK, Australia, France are evacuating their diplomatic staff in the country and have urged their nationals to leave Ukraine by any means possible.
