New Delhi: Given the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, government sources on Friday told ETV Bharat that the first batch of Indian students has now left Chernivtsi for the Ukraine / Romania border.
"MEA Camp Offices are now operational in Lviv and Chernivtsi towns in western Ukraine. Additional Russian speaking officials are being sent to these Camp Offices", sources added. According to sources, officials there are assisting Indian citizens who reach these cities and will facilitate their departure from Ukraine through adjoining border crossings.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of India, Warsaw issued a fresh advisory for Indians in Ukraine desiring to be evacuated via Poland. "Indian nationals arriving at the Poland-Ukraine border by public conveyance i.e by bus or Taxi are advised to make for the Shehyni–Medyka border crossing, and not the Krakowiec crossing," the advisory said.
According to the advisory, the Government of Poland is allowing people to cross the border on foot only via Shehyni–Medyka border point. The Krakowiec crossing is only for persons traveling in their vehicles.
Embassy official Pankaj Garg (tel +48660460815) is stationed at Shehyni – Medyka stated the advisory. The Embassy Office at the Krakowiec crossing will be operational later on Friday evening (India time), headed by Shubham Kumar (tel +48881551271). The Liason Office in Lviv, Ukraine is operational and the contact details are Mira Berezovska (Mb +380679335064), Vivek Kumar (Tel +48881551273) – from late February 25, the advisory said.
Indians crossing into Poland will need to register their details by filling out a Google Form for processing their requests for seats in the repatriation flights which will be arranged shortly, it further stated. However, with the Ukrainian airspace closed, India on Thursday as a part of its contingency plan, decided to send teams for the land borders of Ukraine to help evacuate 16,000 Indians still stuck in the country that came under Russian attack.
In a special briefing on Ukraine, FS Shringla told the media that teams of MEA officials have been sent to Ukraine's land borders with Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania to cater to the needs of the Indian nationals. He reiterated that around 20 officials are operating the MEA control room and that India will do whatever is possible to bring back the Indians still stuck in Ukraine.
According to India's foreign ministry, 4000 Indian nationals have already left Ukraine in the past few days. The MEA control room so far in Delhi has got 980 calls and 850 emails.
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