Russia-Ukraine War Updates: India asks citizens to "leave Kyiv urgently today", IAF’s C-17 aircrafts to join evacuation

Kyiv: The Indian Embassy in Ukraine on Tuesday told all Indian nationals and students to leave the capital immediately.

"Advisory to Indians in Kyiv: All Indian nationals including students are advised to leave Kyiv urgently today," the embassy said in its official Twitter handle. "Preferably by available trains or through any other means available."

Thousands of Indians remain stranded in Ukraine. Evacuations are being carried out from neighboring countries after Russian forces launched an invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

PM Modi directs IAF to join Operation Ganga

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for the Indian Air Force to join the evacuation of stranded Indians, in order to scale up the ongoing efforts under Operation Ganga.

"Leveraging the capacities of our Air Force will ensure that more people can be evacuated in a shorter time frame. It will also help deliver humanitarian aid more efficiently," sources said.

The IAF is likely to deploy C-17 Globemaster aircraft as part of Operation Ganga from Tuesday, they added.

On the possibility of deploying IAF assets to bring back the stranded Indians, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, on February 24, said that all options are on the table.

The C-17 Globemaster is known for its ability to carry combat equipment, troops and humanitarian aid across long distances in all weather conditions.

It has performed various military missions, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the past. It was also used by the IAF to evacuate the stranded Indians from Kabul during the recent Taliban takeover.

The government has ordered the evacuation of its citizens from neighbouring countries of Ukraine, as Russia launched a severe military offensive there on February 24.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired two high-level meetings on Monday, to review the ongoing efforts under Operation Ganga to bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine.

The PM has deputed four senior ministers as his Special Envoys to various neighbouring nations of Ukraine to expedite the evacuation efforts. (Inputs fromUNI)