The first batch of Indian evacuees from Ukraine reached Romania via Suceava border crossing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Friday. “The first batch of evacuees from Ukraine reach Romania via Suceava border crossing. Our team at Suceava will now facilitate travel to Bucharest for their onward journey to India,” he tweeted.
Earlier in the day, the Embassy of India in Kiev said that more than 470 Indian students will exit Ukraine and enter Romania through the Porubne-Siret border, amid escalating tensions over Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. “Today afternoon more than 470 students will exit Ukraine and enter Romania through the Porubne-Siret Border. We are moving Indians located at the border to neighbouring countries for onward evacuation. Efforts are underway to relocate Indians coming from the hinterland,” India in Ukraine Tweeted.
The Indian embassy also said that the massive evacuation operation was organised through the joint efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs, Embassy of India in Kiev, Embassy of India, representing India in Hungary and Bosnia, Embassy of India, Bucharest accredited to Romania, and Embassy of India in Warsaw, Poland.
“This massive evacuation operation was organized through the joint efforts of @MEAIndia @IndiainUkraine @IndiaInHungary @eoiromania @IndiainPoland. Preparations are underway for continued movements,” it said in another Tweet.
Indian Embassy in Kiev issued a fresh advisory informing stranded Indian citizens that the government is working to evacuate them through Romania and Hungary.
In addition to the Control Rooms in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi and the Embassy of India in Kiev, the presence of MEA Teams have been expanded in western Ukraine and its neighbouring border regions to assist in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, as per the MEA statement today.
The Indian Embassy also advised Indian nationals, especially students living closest to the above border checkpoints to depart first in an organized manner, in coordination with teams from the Ministry of External Affairs to actualize this option.
On Thursday, MEA had sent teams to the land borders with Ukraine in Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Romania to assist the evacuation of Indian nationals.