Nearly 18,000 Indians brought back from Ukraine by special flights, says Centre

Nearly 18,000 Indian nationals have been brought back to India from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries by special flights, the Centre said on Tuesday. A total of 410 Indians were brought back by special civilian flights from Suceava, the ministry of civil aviation said in a statement.

The Indian Air Force had flown 12 missions to bring back 2467 passengers, as part of Operation Ganga, and carried over 32-tonne relief material, the ministry added.

Among the civilian flights, 4,575 passengers have been brought from Bucharest by 21 flights, 1,820 from Suceava by nine flights, 5,571 from Budapest by 28 flights, 909 passengers by five flights from Kosice, 2,404 Indians from Rzeszow by 11 flights, and 242 persons by a flight from Kyiv, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, India also managed to evacuate nearly 600 Indians from war-hit Sumy in Ukraine.

The officials of the Indian Embassy & Red Cross escorted the Indian nationals along with some citizens from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Tunisia to Poltava region.

(With inputs from ANI)