Ukraine-Russia conflict: Air India's fifth evacuation flight brings home 249 students; four ministers to lead rescue ops

Air India’s fifth evacuation flight arrived in New Delhi from Romanian capital Bucharest to Delhi on Monday morning with 249 Indian nationals, who were stranded in Ukraine amid the Russian military offensive, officials said.

Moving forward in bringing Indians home.

Fifth #OperationGanga flight departs Bucharest for Delhi with 249 Indian nationals. https://t.co/x2VQd3j4Nd

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 27, 2022

India began evacuation of its citizens from Romania and Hungary neighbouring countries of Ukraine from Saturday onwards.

Tata Group-owned Air India has evacuated a total of 1,156 Indian nationals in five evacuation flights till now.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday also activated a dedicated Twitter handle, “OpGanga Helpline” (@opganga), to assist in the evacuation of Indian nationals from war-torn Ukraine.

A dedicated Twitter handle has been set up to assist in the evacuation of Indians from Ukraine ➡️ OpGanga Helpline.

Please direct all related queries to @opganga.

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) February 27, 2022

India has already set up round-the-clock “control centres” in Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia to assist in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine through border-crossing points with these countries.

The helpline numbers of the control room in Poland are: +48225400000, +48795850877 and +48792712511. Those requiring help can also write an email to controlroominwarsaw@gmail.com, according to the MEA.

The helpline numbers of the control room in Romania are: +40732124309, +40771632567, +40745161631 and +40741528123. The email address for contacting the control room in Romania is controlroombucharest@gmail.com.

The MEA said Indians can contact the control room in Hungary on phone numbers +36 308517373, +36 13257742 and +36 13257743. It also has a WhatsApp number: +36 308517373 for assistance.

The helpline numbers of the control room in Slovakia are +421 252631377, +421 252962916 and +421 951697560. The email address is hoc.bratislava@mea.gov.in.

Ministers to be sent for evacuation

The government has announced that Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju and General (Retired) VK Singh will be travelling to Ukraine’s neighbouring countries as ‘special envoys’ in order to oversee evacuation of Indians from the war-ridden nation.

Hindustan Times reported that Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will coordinate evacuation efforts from Hungary, Civil Aviation Minister Scindia will speed up Indian evacuation from Romania and Moldova, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju will expedite the trans-border movement from Slovenia and Roads and Transport Minister Gen V K Singh will push Operation Ganga from the Poland border.

The decision was taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting on the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the evacuation of Indian students stuck there.

Visuals of hundreds of Indians stuck at the Ukrainian borders have been emerging on social media.

It has been reported that around 16,000 students are stuck in Ukraine, either at the borders, or hiding in bunkers, bomb shelters and hostel basements.

With inputs from agencies

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