New Delhi: As Russian action intensified in Ukraine’s second-largest city, the Indian embassy in Ukraine has issued an urgent advisory asking all its citizens to leave Kharkiv immediately.
The Indian Embassy — which had to stop operations in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv yesterday — said Indians should reach Pesochin, Babaye or Bezlyudovka latest by 6 pm local time (9.30 pm IST).
URGENT ADVISORY TO ALL INDIAN NATIONALS IN KHARKIV.
FOR THEIR SAFETY AND SECURITY THEY MUST LEAVE KHARKIV IMMEDIATELY.
PROCEED TO PESOCHIN, BABAYE AND BEZLYUDOVKA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES THEY MUST REACH THESE SETTLEMENTS *BY 1800 HRS (UKRAINIAN TIME) TODAY*.— India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine) March 2, 2022
2nd Advisory to Indian Students in Kharkiv
2 March 2022.@MEAIndia @PIB_India @DDNewslive @DDNational pic.twitter.com/yOgQ8m25xh— India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine) March 2, 2022
Under all circumstances, they must reach Pesochin, Babaye and Bezlyudovka settlements, the embassy said.
The Indian embassy in a tweet said, “For their safety and security they must leave Kharkiv immediately. Proceed to Pesochin, Babaye and Bezlyudovka as soon as possible.”
“Those students who cannot find vehicles or buses and are in railway station can proceed on foot to Pisochyn (11 km), Babai (12 km) and Bezlyudivka (16 km),” it added.
Earlier, the Indian embassy in Poland had also issued an urgent advisory to Indian nationals in war-torn Ukraine, urging them to travel at the earliest to the Budomierz border for a quick entry into Poland.
A similar advisory was issued on March 1 for Indian citizens in Kyiv, asking them to leave the capital city, preferably by “available trains or through any other means available”.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the Indian government has been coordinating efforts to evacuate all Indian nationals in the country via Poland, Romania, Hungary and other neighbouring countries under Operation Ganga.
