Two trusted aides of PM Modi left for Europe to supervise evacuation of Indian students from war-hit Ukraine

HardeepSPuriUnion Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Gen V.K.Singh flying to Europe to aid evacuation of Indian citizens in Ukraine. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is enroute to Budapest in Hungary to aid the evacuation of Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine. In a tweet, Mr. Puri said that all are set to bring the country's young students back home safely. He said his flight will take a stop for refueling in Istanbul. Union Minister, General V.K. Singh is also on his way to Poland to energize the government's efforts in facilitating Indians stranded on the Ukrainian side of the border with Poland. The Indian Ambassador to Poland is also present near the Polish border points to personally direct the evacuation efforts. External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar spoke with his Polish counterpart yesterday to discuss the evacuation efforts. Sources said the discussions at high levels have led to improvement in the situation at the Polish border points. In Kyiv, once the weekend curfew was lifted, the Indian Embassy advised all students to make their way to the railway station for onward journeys to the western parts. The Embassy officials were present at the railway station to facilitate and a large number of students were able to board the trains. They ensured movement of more than a thousand students from Kyiv towards Western Ukraine yesterday including around 400 students housed near the Embassy. Another 1400 students moved westwards from Zaporizhzhia, a city in South East Ukraine. However, due to massive overcrowding at the stations, some students were not able to board. The Embassy continues to coordinate efforts in coordination with student coordinators so that all Indian students left in Kyiv can move westwards. The Embassy today issued an advisory asking all remaining students to urgently leave Kyiv and move westwards via trains or other means. To avoid overcrowding and long waiting times and ease pressure at border points the External Affairs Ministry's teams and the Embassy are trying to arrange shelter in nearby towns, particularly Uzhhorod near the Hungary border.