new Delhia few moments ago
The Air Force’s first C-17 Globemaster aircraft carrying 200 Indians landed at Hindon airbase in the early hours of Thursday as part of Operation Ganga to bring back Indian students stranded in Ukraine. The plane took off from Bucharest, Romania. After this, by 8 in the morning, two more C-17 Globemasters reached Delhi with the Indians trapped in Ukraine. In the second plane 220 and in the third plane 208 Indians reached Delhi. Minister of State for Defense Ajay Bhatt welcomed the passengers. On the other hand, the Russian Embassy in India has claimed that Ukraine is using it as a human shield by taking Indian students hostage. However, the Ministry of External Affairs said that so far there is no such report.
Delhi-Mumbai flights
On the other hand, another Air India plane also reached Delhi in the early hours of Thursday. Union Minister of State Kailash Chaudhary welcomed the passengers at the airport. Choudhary said that till now about 3000 Indians have been brought from Ukraine to India by a total of 16 flights. At the same time, Indigo’s special aircraft also reached Delhi carrying 200 Indians from Bucharest. Union Minister of State Rajiv Chandrashekhar welcomed the students who came in it. At the same time, the students who arrived in Mumbai were welcomed by the Minister of State for Railways, Rao Saheb Patil Danve. He said that the Railways has set up a help desk. Students who want to go home by train will be given reservation tickets at the airport itself.
Union Minister of State Rajiv Chandrashekhar welcomed the students arriving in Mumbai from Ukraine to Delhi and Raosaheb Patil Danve.
15 more flights will arrive
15 more flights are going to reach Indians in the next 24 hours. The operation will continue till the arrival of the last Indian. PM Narendra Modi himself is monitoring this operation. In the countries adjoining Ukraine, arrangements have been made for Indians to stay and eat etc. For this four central ministers are present there.
17 thousand Indians left Ukraine
On the other hand, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that 9 planes have taken off from Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. 6 more aircraft are going to take off soon. These include the Globe Master of the Air Force. So far 17,000 Indians have left Ukraine.
Ukrainian army took Indian students hostage – Russia claims
Some of the Indian students trapped in Ukraine have been taken hostage by the Ukrainian army, so that they can be used as human shield. This claim has been made by the Russian Embassy in India.
The embassy said in a tweet that according to our information, a group of Indians has been forcibly detained by the Ukrainian army, which was going from Ukraine to Belgorod. The Ukrainian army does not want to let them go by any means.
Ukraine has full responsibility for this. The Russian army is ready to take steps for the safe evacuation of Indians. At the same time, it is ready to send them from Russian territory to India by army cargo planes or Indian planes.
After this, the Ministry of External Affairs has issued a statement. In which it is said – Our Embassy in Ukraine is in constant touch with Indian citizens in Ukraine. In cooperation with the Ukrainian authorities, several students have left Kharkiv yesterday. We have not received any information about any student being held hostage.
Ukraine said Russia should stop the war for the evacuation of the trapped students
Ukraine responded by saying that Russia would stop wars in Kharkiv and Sumy so that civilians, including foreign students, could be evacuated. These students are unable to leave because of the continuous bombing of residential areas by Russia.
PM Modi talks to Putin
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to PM Narendra Modi and reviewed the situation in Ukraine. Modi raised the issue of safe return of Indians from the war zone Kharkiv.
Union Minister Smriti Irani welcomed by speaking four languages
Earlier on Wednesday, Union Minister Smriti Irani welcomed Malayalam, Bengali, Gujarati and Marathi speaking students at the Delhi airport to the students who arrived in the planes. He said that you are welcome back home. Your families are waiting with bated breath. He said that all of you have shown your courage in Ukraine. Now you have come to your country in India, for this you should also thank the crew member of the flight.
Union Minister Smriti Irani welcoming students returned from Ukraine at Delhi airport.
Embassy issued second advisory
The Indian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, issued a warning saying that Indians should leave Kharkiv by 6 pm (9.30 pm Indian time) under any circumstances. In a second alert, the embassy said that the students should reach the nearby towns of Poshechin, Babai and Bezulyodovka on foot. Only after this alert, Indian students trapped in Kharkiv have left for other cities on foot.