Be ready to leave on short notice: Indian Embassy tells Indian students in Sumy

Kyiv/New Delhi, Mar 6 (UNI) The Indian Embassy in Kyiv on Sunday advised Indian students stranded in Sumy to be ready to leave on short notice as an embassy team was stationed in Poltava city for their evacuation and safe passage to western Ukraine. The Indian Embassy in a tweet also said they would inform the students of the date and time of departure soon. The tweet read: “Team from Embassy of India is stationed in Poltava City to coordinate the safe passage of Indian students stranded in Sumy to Western borders via Poltava. “Confirmed time & date will be issued soon. Indian students advised to be ready to leave on short notice.” Poltova is in central Ukraine, around 149 km from Sumy. The message came hours after Puneet Singh Chandhok, president Indian World Forum, said that efforts are being made for the early evacuation of the students in Sumy in coordination with the Red Cross Ukraine Chapter. Chandhok said he has spoken with Maksym Dotsenko, the Director General of Red Cross Ukraine, and also with Ihor Shapoval, who heads the Sumy chapter of Red Cross, with regard to the Indian students there. He said in tweets that Ihor Shapoval visited the Indians in Sumy, and water is being provided to them. “Spoken to Maksym Dotsenko Director General @RedCrossUkraine & Ihor Shapoval #RedCross on ground in #Sumy. “Today they visited #IndianStudents there and coordinating with the university officials. “Water is being provided now & efforts are being made by them for their early evacuation. “Just received images of #humanitarian assistance provided today to students from all nationalities on ground in #Sumy by @RedCrossUkraine Ihor Shapoval & his team in coordination with IndianWorldForum. “More aid to follow as the situation eases. #IndiansInUkraine #OperationGanga,” he posted. The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday urged the 700 odd Indian students stranded in Sumy not to leave their underground bunkers, and that they were making every effort for their evacuation.