Nearly 20,000 Indian students stuck in Ukraine, team from Indian embassy in Hungary sent to help

The Indian embassy in Hungary - a country that shares borders with Ukraine - said it is working with the Hungarian government for providing all possible assistance for facilitating the entry of Indians from the conflict-torn nation

Pic courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: A team from the Indian embassy in Hungary has been sent to the border post of Zohanyi to provide assistance to facilitate the exit of Indians from Ukraine. The Indian embassy in Hungary said it is working with the Hungarian government for providing all possible assistance for facilitating the entry of Indians from Ukraine.

As Ukraine closed its airspace for civilian aircraft following the Russian attack, India is looking at evacuating its nationals from Ukraine through land routes. Hungary shares a border with Ukraine.

Currently, around 20,000 Indians, mostly students, are stuck in Ukraine. "Team from Embassy of India in Hungary has been despatched to the border post Zohanyi to coordinate and provide assistance to facilitate exit of Indians from Ukraine. Mission is working with Govt of Hungary to provide all possible assistance," the Indian embassy in Hungary tweeted. It said the government of India is closely monitoring the situation and "evacuation plans are being worked out".

Team from Embassy of India in Hungary has been despatched to the border post Zohanyi to coordinate and provide assistance to facilitate exit of Indians from Ukraine. Mission is working with with Govt of Hungary to provide all possible assistance. @IndiainUkraine @MEAIndia contd.

— Indian Embassy in Hungary (@IndiaInHungary) February 24, 2022

Earlier in the day, following the Russian military operations in the Donbas region of Ukraine, the country shut its airspace for civilian flights. The Indian embassy said the schedule for special flights has been cancelled due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace."Alternative arrangements are being made for the evacuation of Indian nationals. The embassy will convey information as soon as such arrangements are finalized so that Indian nationals can relocate to the western part of the country," added the advisory.

Partha Satpathy, the Ambassador of India to Ukraine, while acknowledging the tense situation in the eastern European nation, urged people to stay calm and "face the situation with fortitude."

Meanwhile, students stranded in Ukraine shared that they are not able to exchange their currency as Ukrainian stores have stopped trading dollars. The Indian mission in Kyiv was planning to relocate Indian nationals to the western border and has advised them to keep their passport and necessary documents with them all the time.

(With Agency inputs)