NEW DELHI: All Indians stranded in Ukraine, including students, will be repatriated soon, the Ministry OF External Affairs has informed. In the next 24 hours, 16 more flights will be operated to repatriate Indians. More than 20,000 Indians have been evacuated from Ukraine so far. The ministry hopes that by tomorrow, most of those currently stranded will be able to return to the country. More buses might be arranged to take stranded people to the border. The Foreign Ministry said it had requested Ukraine for special trains.

According to official figures, more than 700 students are trapped in Sumy. 300 are trapped in Kharkiv and 900 in Pesochin. The rescue operation will continue until all are repatriated, the foreign ministry said. India has requested a ceasefire until civilians are repatriated.

So far, 48 aircraft have been operated as part of Operation Ganga Mission. The ministry said no student has been taken hostage in Ukraine, adding that the central government would bear the treatment cost of the shot Indian student Harjot Singh who got shot and that efforts are being made in order to reach him.