Don't go directly to borders: MEA advises students in Ukraine

New Delhi: The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA advised stranded students in Ukraine not to move towards borders directly but try to reach the western side of the war-hit country and stay in nearby towns, NDTV reported.

The MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters on Monday that the students should go to borders only after consulting authorities. The stranded students have to go to borders to cross into neighbouring Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova.

Bagchi said that an estimate of 8,000 Indians had let Ukraine after MEA released its first advisory prior to Russian assault into the East European nation. He added that to date, 1,396 students had reached back India in six evacuation flights operated under "Operation Ganga".

In the next 24 hours, three more flights will leave with the rescued- two from Bucharest and one from Budapest.

Further, Bagchi advised students as well as their parents not to panic o flight availability. Once the stranded cross Ukraine borders, New Delhi will ensure more flights. Indian government's primary concern is on stranded Indians' ability to cross borders safely, he added.

Also, he said that there is no curfew in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. People are allowed to leave it, and there are train services to the western borders, free of charge. Indians should take trains from Kyiv railway station to the borders, he said.

Forces of Russia and Ukraine have fought in Kyiv, but an intense battle occurred on the eastern border. Here the former had declared two states independent.