The first batch of Indian evacuees from Ukraine has reached Romania after crossing over via the Suceava border point, ministry of external affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
In a short video posted on Twitter, the MEA said that its team at the Suceava border crossing will now facilitate the evacuees to travel to Bucharest for their journey back to India.
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Evacuees were seen moving in a queue, and making their way to buses with their bags and suitcases.
Earlier in the day, the Indian embassy in Ukraine informed that more than 470 Indian students will depart the Ukraine and enter Romania via 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,” the statement added.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier in the day, the Indian embassy in Ukraine informed that more than 470 Indian students will depart the Ukraine and enter Romania via 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,” the statement added.
{{/usCountry}}The MEA has sent up camp offices at various border checkpoints of Romania, Hungary, and Poland - countries that are being used as transit by India to evacuate its stranded nationals from Ukraine. Indian embassy in Slovakia has also stationed its officials at the Ukraine-Slovakia border, with the country showing willingness to cooperate with India to help the latter with evacuation. This alternative plan was chalked out on Thursday after external affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to his counterparts in Slovakia, Hungary and Romania for pulling out Indians, following Ukraine closing off its airspace after Russia began its offensive in the east European nation.
Earlier in the day, the ministry shared a list of helpline numbers on Twitter of its teams in Ukraine's neighbouring countries, which are facilitating stranded Indians to bring them back.
Meanwhile, the Indian embassy in Poland also laid out a land route for Indians to cross over to the country from Ukraine. Those reaching the Ukraine-Poland border by public conveyance have been asked to use the Shehyni-Medyka crossing while the ones reaching in own vehicles can use the Krakowiec crossing.
The embassy added that repatriation of Indian nationals entering Poland from Ukraine will be arranged shortly.
Meanwhile, two planes from India are en route to Romania's capital Bucharest to evacuate the Indian nationals who have reached the country from Ukraine. One flight will be operated to Hungary tomorrow to fly out Indians from there. India is going to bring its stranded citizens from Ukraine via the transit countries free-of-cost.