Four C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force with approximately 800 evacuees from Ukraine will be landing at the Hindon airbase here on Thursday, sources said.
India has been evacuating its citizens through special flights from Ukraine's western neighbours such as Romania, Hungary and Poland as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive.
The IAF planes are also coming from these neighbouring countries only, sources mentioned.
Four IAF aircraft with approximately 800 Indian evacuees will land at the Hindon airbase between 1.30 AM and 8 AM on Thursday, the sources added.
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt will receive the Indian evacuees at the airbase, they said.
Amid heavy fighting around Kharkiv, India on Wednesday asked all its citizens stranded in the city to leave immediately for three safe zones that are in the range of up to 16 km from there.
The embassy asked Indians to proceed to Pisochyn (11 km), Babai (12 km) and Bezlyudivka (16 km) even by foot if they cannot find vehicles or buses.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the embassy asked Indian nationals to leave Kharkiv immediately on the basis of information from the Russian side.
"For their safety and security, they must leave Kharkiv immediately repeat immediately in the light of the detriorating situation.
They should proceed to Pisochyn, Babai and Bezlyudivka as soon as possible for their safety," the embassy said.
Six flights from the Romanian capital Bucharest will bring back on Wednesday over 1,200 Indian students who have fled the war-hit Ukraine.
India has been evacuating its citizens through special flights from Ukraine's western neighbours such as Romania, Hungary and Poland as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut down since February 24.
Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is in Bucharest, said he met Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on Wednesday to thank his government for facilitating entry and ensuring the safety of Indian citizens amid the "grim situation" at the Ukrainian borders.
Scindia said on Twitter the Romanian prime minister has assured his continued support to Indian students crossing the Romanian borders.
"We shared a mutual interest in expanding bilateral trade given the huge economic potential and presence of Indian businesses in Romania," he noted.
The aviation minister also said: "We are mounting six flights today (Wednesday) in Bucharest, Romania, carrying over 1,200 Indian students back to India."
He thanked Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo for rising to the challenge and working round-the-clock with the government on the evacuation operations.
Scindia on Wednesday also held a meeting with heads of Indian companies that work in Romania to decentralise evacuation operations for Indians stranded in Ukraine due to the Russian military offensive.
Approximately 8,000 Indians, mainly students, are stranded in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Tuesday.
02/03/22 PTI/New Indian Express
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