Budapest [Hungary], March 7 (ANI): Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who is in Hungary to oversee the evacuation process of stranded Indian nationals due to the Russia–Ukraine conflict, said that four buses with a capacity of 50 each are on their way to Poltava in order to bring back Indian students stranded in Ukraine‘s Sumy. Speaking to ANI, Puri said, “I am talking to the control room in Delhi. As many as four buses with a capacity of 50 each are on their way to Poltava to evacuate Indian citizens stranded in Sumy. Other logistical arrangements such as food have also been arranged. Depending on the situation, further plans will be chalked out from Poltava. As of now, all the arrangements are in place.”
He further said, “As of tonight, we would have taken out somewhere around 6,200 students from Hungary. Generally, the evacuation process in Kharkiv or Pisochyn or the ongoing process in Sumy, the Government of India’s commitment and putting all its resources down to that purpose that is total and there is no doubt. When you are doing an evacuation process out of a war zone, there are constraints that you cannot anticipate, and the parties to the conflict even if you use your margin of diplomacy have objectives that may not synchronize with your evacuation objective. I will be happy if we complete this evacuation process within the next two or three days.”
Earlier in the day, he had said, “I think after the 5 flights today the figure will be close to 6,200 but you can never be absolutely precise because some people who came to Hungary registered others we have to issue an advisory that last flight is going out. Approximately 5,200 Indian nationals were returned home country yesterday. Today around 889 are returning to their home country. We are operating the last leg of Operation Ganga flights today.”
The Indian Embassy in Kyiv on Saturday said that they will not leave any stone unturned to ensure the safe evacuation of Indian students from the Ukrainian city of Sumy and requested them to keep some more hours of strength. Over the past week, more than 10,000 Indian students have been evacuated from Ukraine under Operation Ganga. Barring Kharkiv and Sumy, almost all Indians from the remaining regions of Ukraine have been evacuated.
The Embassy said that despite shelling, roadblocks, diversions, and other major adversities, food and water continued to be delivered to Pisochyn, in whatever quantities and means available. Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine‘s breakaway regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent entities. (ANI)
