Ukraine: No Indians left in Kyiv; 4,000 stuck in danger zone; 26 rescue flights in next 3 days

Hours after an Indian student died in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Modi administration announced that no Indian nationals remain in Ukraine's capital city Kyiv.

The announcement was made following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Ukraine situation. The PM also condoled the death of 21-year-old Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar, who died in shelling in Kharkiv.

Briefing the media, India's foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that 12,000 out of approximately 20,000 Indians have already left Ukraine. Of the remaining 8,000, around 4,000 are still in the conflict zone, while the other 4,000 are either at Ukraine's western borders, or heading there.

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The government reportedly plans to send 26 flights over the next 3 days to bring Indians back from the war-torn region. Shringla said that ambassadors of Ukraine and Russia have been asked to ensure "urgent safe passage" for Indian nationals.

The Indian government has organised flights from Ukraine's neighbouring nations under Operation Ganga to bring back Indians from Ukraine. Indians in the turmoil-hit nation have been asked to travel to the land borders where government teams have been stationed to facilitate their evacuation.