NEW DELHI: Amid ongoing Russia's military operations against Ukraine, the Government of India has started arranging evacuation flights for Indian nationals in Ukraine. The cost will be completely borne by the government for this evacuation.

The first flight with Indians, including 17 Malayalis, from Romania, will arrive in Delhi on Saturday morning. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan will receive them at the airport.

Efforts are being made to evacuate them through the borders of Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Romania. About 1,500 people, including students, have already reached the border. The embassy has provided safe accommodation for those in Kyiv.

Two chartered flights arrived in the Romanian capital Bucharest from Delhi yesterday. A flight to the Hungarian capital, Budapest, will depart today.

Students living near border areas will be evacuated. They must reach the border by arranging vehicles. The Indian national flag should be displayed on the vehicle. They should keep their passports and Covid double vaccination certificate with them.

Warning for those crossing Poland border

Amid Russian military operations in Ukraine and condition worsening, the Indian Embassy in Warsaw issued an urgent advisory for its citizens who desire to be evacuated via Poland. The Mission concurrently accredited to Lithuania said, "Indian nationals arriving at the Poland-Ukraine border by public conveyance i.e. by bus or taxi, are advised to make for the Shehyni-Medyka border crossing, not Krakowiec crossing."

The embassy office at the Krakowiec crossings will be operational later today, headed by Shubham Kumar (Tel +48 881 551 271). "The Government of Poland is allowing people to cross the border on foot only via Shehyni-Medyka point. The Krakowiec crossing is only for persons travelling in their own vehicles," read the embassy statement.

"Embassy official Pankaj Garg (Tel +48660460815) is stationed at the Shehyni-Medyka. The Liaison Office in Lviv, Ukraine is operational and the contact details are: Mira Berezovska (Mb +380679335064), Vivek Kumar (Tel +48 881 551 273) will be available from late February 25. The embassy further advised Indians crossing into Poland to register their details by filling the Google Form (https:117orms.gle/TPmtUeMh98Q4XgvP9) for processing their requests for seats in the repatriation flights.