If you’re an Indian residing in Ukraine, this is what you need to know

• India’s MEA announced the setting up of a control room to provide assistance to Indian nationals living in Ukraine.
• The Indian embassy in Ukraine has also set up a 24-hour helpline in the eastern European nation.
• The Indian embassy also sent out a notification to all the Indians to temporarily leave Ukraine amid escalating tensions with its neighbour.

As the tensions between Russia and Ukraine are worsening, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Wednesday, announced the setting up of a control room to provide assistance to Indian nationals living in Ukraine.

The Indian embassy in Ukraine, to assist Indians during this crisis, has also set up a 24-hour helpline in the eastern European nation.

The Indian embassy in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, has also sent out a notification to all the Indians, especially students whose stay is not essential, to temporarily leave Ukraine amid escalating tensions with its neighbour.

The notification read, “In view of the uncertainties of the current situation in Ukraine, the Indian nationals in Ukraine, particularly students, whose stay is not necessary, may consider leaving temporarily. Indian nationals are also advised to avoid all non-essential travel to and within Ukraine.”

“Indian nationals are requested to keep the Embassy informed about the status of their presence in Ukraine to enable the Embassy to reach them where required. The Embassy continues to function normally to provide all services to Indian nationals in Ukraine,” the notification further said.

Apart from that, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv also said that it had been receiving calls about non-availability of flights from Ukraine to India. The embassy had asked the Indians to not to panic and book a flight, the earliest available, to get back to their respective homes.

According to several media reports, between 18,000 to 20,000 Indian students are residing in Ukraine. The data is likely to vary due to COVID-19 situation.

The embassy further informed that Ukraine International Airlines, Air Arabia, Fly Dubai and Qatar Airways are operating flights at present from Ukraine and more flights from Ukraine to India are being planned in the near future.

“To meet the additional demand, more flights are being planned in the near future, including from Ukraine International Airlines, Air India, etc. Details on the same would be shared by the Embassy as and when confirmed," the embassy said in a statement.

Other than India, these countries have also called on their nationals to leave Ukraine — the United States, Germany, Italy, Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Canada, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Australia, Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Russia has reportedly positioned around 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine besides sending warships into the Black Sea for naval exercises, triggering concerns among the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries about a potential invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has been denying that it plans to invade Ukraine. It reportedly withdrew some of its forces from the border on Tuesday.

The contact details of the control room in Delhi are:

Phone +91 11 23012113, +91 11 23014104, +91 11 23017905 and 1800118797 (toll free).

Email: situationroom@mea.gov.in.

The contact details of the helpline in the Indian embassy in Ukraine are: Phone, +380 997300428 +380 997300483.

Email: cons1.kyiv@mea.gov.in.

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