Ukraine crisis: All Indian students moved out of Sumy, set to be evacuated

All 694 Indian students have been moved out of Sumy under Operation Ganga, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday, adding that they are currently en route Poltava, from where they will board trains to western Ukraine. 

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“Happy to inform that we have been able to move out all Indian students from Sumy. They are currently en route to Poltava, from where they will board trains to western Ukraine. Flights under Operation Ganga are being prepared to bring them home,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi confirmed on Twitter. 

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The announcemnt was made a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on ways to start the stalled evacuation process of the Indian students from Sumy, a city under attack. 

India has so far brought back over 17,100 citizens from Ukraine under Operation Ganga that kicked off on February 26. On Tuesday, the civil aviation ministry said that two two civilian flights from Suceava in Romania airlifted 410 Indians to India. 

The Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive. The Indian citizens stuck in Ukraine are being airlifted once they cross to neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.

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“Under ‘Operation Ganga’ to rescue Indian citizens from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, 410 Indians have been airlifted today (March 8) by 2 special civilian flights from Suceava,” a ministry statement said.

Sumy, a city in north-eastern Ukraine, has been under Russian attack for days. India has been making efforts to evacuate its citizens from the northeastern Ukrainian city, but with little success due to the heavy shelling and air strikes.

The students had posted a video clip on social media platforms on Saturday, saying they had decided to walk to the Russian border in biting cold. Soon after the clip went viral, the Indian government asked the students not to take unnecessary risks and to remain in shelters, and assured them that they would be rescued soon.