The government is activating alternate evacuation routes for Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine amid closure of the eastern European country’s airspace to commercial flights, people familiar with developments told Hindustan Times on Thursday.
“Given the closure of Ukraine airspace, alternate evacuation routes are being activated,” they said, adding that the Indian embassy in Ukraine remains functional and its advisories should be followed.
More Russian-speaking officials have also been sent to the embassy in Kyiv and are being deployed in countries that neighbor Ukraine, the sources said, noting that high-level meetings regarding the situation were underway at the external affairs ministry.
Earlier in the day, the Indian embassy issued an advisory urging its nationals to remain calm and stay put wherever they were in Ukraine as the situation is unpredictable following Russia’s invasion.
“The present situation in Ukraine is highly uncertain. Please maintain calm and remain safe wherever you are, be it in your homes, hostels, accommodations or in transit,” the advisory read.
Explosions have been reported in several cities across Ukraine, including capital Kyiv and in the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
