NEW DELHI: In what was one of the most difficult rescue missions since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, 694 Indian students stranded in the city of Sumy were evacuated in twelve buses to the safe zone of Poltava yesterday. These students will reach the western border of Ukraine on a train today. Following this, they will be flown to India. The mission was jointly organized by the Red Cross and the Indian Embassy.

"Last night, I checked with the control room, 694 Indian students remain stranded in Sumy. Today, they have all left in buses for Poltava." minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.

Sumy has been witnessing heavy fighting since the invasion. The Indian students, who were stranded in this region, had been waiting for days for help. India had also called on the United Nations to provide a safe path for evacuation.

694 Indian students in Sumy had waged a doughty battle in bomb shelters and basements of their hostels in frigid weather, low on food, drinking water and other essential supplies over the last few days as Russian forces clobbered the city with rockets and heavy gunfire.

Efforts to evacuate the students from Sumy had failed on Monday as a temporary ceasefire declared by the Russians crumbled shortly after getting underway. Following this, the authorities asked several students, who had boarded the buses for their journey to Poltava, to disembark.