Ukraine Row: 5th Flight Landed At Delhi Airport With 249 Passengers

The passengers praised the Indian Embassy officials

Amidst the Ukraine row, India is evacuating Indian stranded in the country. In the morning, the fifth flight carrying Indian nationals from Ukraine landed at the Delhi airport. According to the officials, the flight with 249 nationals originated from Bucharest in Romania, one of the European countries from where stranded Indian nationals are being flown back to the country.

The passengers praised the Indian Embassy officials for their safe evacuation from Ukraine.

In an official report of the news agency ANI, a student who arrived at Delhi from Ukraine was quoted as, "Government has helped us a lot. All possible support was provided by the Indian Embassy. The main problem is crossing the border. I hope all Indians are brought back. There are several more Indians still stranded in Ukraine."

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine has advised Indian nationals against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

"All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised not to move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv," the advisory read.

Moreover, the advisory added, "Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation."

The Indian Govt. has set up a dedicated Twitter handle to assist in the evacuation of Indians from Ukraine under Operation Ganga.

The Twitter account lists helpline numbers in Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic - all nations which share a border with Ukraine.

From Thursday morning, Russia started military operations against Ukraine after months of tension over the former Soviet republic's proximity to NATO.

There are still around 16,000 Indian students still stranded in Ukraine. Many have made desperate appeals for help, sharing photos and videos on social media from underground bunkers, and bomb shelters, where they have been sheltering from Russian bombs and missiles.