Under 'Operation Ganga', India evacuates stranded citizens from Ukraine's Sumy

India on Tuesday started evacuating its stranded citizens from Ukraine’s Sumy to Poltava under Operation Ganga after the announcement of Russian ceasefire today from 10 am (Moscow time) for providing humanitarian corridors in the cities of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol. As per Puneet Singh Chandhok, President of Indian World Forum, an Indian convoy consisting of 12 buses has left from Sumy earlier today and all Indians from Sumy has been evacuated.

The Indian convoy is escorted by the officials of the Indian Embassy and Red Cross. The convoy also consists of Bangladeshi and Nepali citizens."They are currently en route to Poltava, praying for their safe journey," said Chandhok. As per the latest development, the convoy has reached the Poltava region. Earlier, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said that all 694 Indian students stranded in Ukraine’s Sumy have left for Poltava today.

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Answering queries of reporters about Indians stranded in Ukraine, he said, "Last night, I checked with the control room, 694 Indian students remain stranded in Sumy. Today, they have all left in buses for Poltava". Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv evacuated 75 Indian sailors stranded in Mykolaiv Port.

"Mission intervened to evacuate 75 Indian sailors stranded in Mykolaiv Port. Yesterday buses arranged by Mission evacuated a total of 57 sailors including 2 Lebanese & 3 Syrians. Route constraints precluded the evacuation of balance 23 sailors. The mission is attempting their evacuation today," tweeted the Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine.