In "Urgent Advisory", India Asks Citizens In West Ukraine To Reach This Checkpoint

As Russia steps up the attack in Ukraine after failing to seize control of any major Ukrainian city even after six days of the war, the Indian embassy in Poland has issued an "urgent advisory" to its nationals stranded in the western parts of the war-torn country to travel to the Budomierz border checkpoint "at the earliest" for a relatively quick entry into Poland. "Alternatively, they are advised to travel south to transit via Hungary or Romania," it said. The advisory was released early morning on Wednesday and specifically mentions Indian nationals stuck in Lviv and Ternopil. 

The embassy has also asked Indians to consider avoiding the Shehyni-Medyka border crossing as it is congested with long queues and huge crowds. 

Urgent advisory to Indian nationals in Ukraine@MEAIndia @opganga @IndiainUkraine pic.twitter.com/5TWmb93Lbw

— India in Poland and Lithuania (@IndiainPoland) March 1, 2022

The embassy's officials stationed at the Medyka and Budomierz border checkpoints will receive them and facilitate their return to India, it said. 

"Those who enter Poland from any other border crossing where Indian officials are not deployed may kindly travel directly to Hotel Prezydencki, ul. Podwistocze 48 in Rzeszow where all arrangements have been made for their stay and from where Operation Ganga flights to India are being operated regularly," the advisory added. 

The embassy has also offered to pay transportation charges at the hotel if the students don't have funds with them.

The Indian government's "Operation Ganga" mission to evacuate Indian nationals through Ukraine's neighbouring countries has brought back close to 2,000 of them through special flights operated by Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and SpiceJet since February 26. The Indian Air Force has also been pressed into action and is expected to operate flights under the mission. 

As Ukraine closed its airspace on February 24 when Russia started a full-scale invasion of the country, Indians have been pouring into land border crossings of neighbouring countries to escape the devastation. 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said that six flights under Operation Ganga have departed for India in the last 24 hours.

As many as 31 evacuation flights will be operated to neighbouring countries of Ukraine and will bring back more than 6,300 Indians stranded in the eastern European nation, according to official sources.