Sumy: The evacuation of students stuck at Ukraine’s Sumy has started today. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, speaking with the reporters said that the students stuck in Ukraine have left for Poltava in buses.
Speaking with the reporters he said, “Last night, I checked with the control room, 694 Indian students were remaining in Sumy. Today, they have all left in buses for Poltava.”
Sumy is nearly 50 km away from the Russian borders. Sumy has witnessed heavy shelling and attacks these days. Today, at least nine people, including two children, died in an airstrike in the city.
The students were waiting for their evacuation. Earlier, V Muraleedharan, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, in an exclusive interview to news18, said around 600 students, stuck in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, will be evacuated as the Indian embassy officials have reached nearby Poltava and advised them to be prepared to “leave at a short notice”
The MoS for External Affairs said: “Amidst heavy shelling, the Indian embassy officials have reached Poltava, which is two hours away from Sumy. We advise the students to be prepared to leave at short notice. All of them have been very brave until now, we want them to be just a bit more patient. Every single person will be brought back safely.”
On Saturday, unable to cope with the bitter cold, depleting food and water supplies, the students shared videos stating they have decided to take a risky journey to the Russian border 50 km away and for any mishap, the government and Indian Embassy will be responsible.
After this video was posted by the students, the government contacted them and asked them to “avoid unnecessary risks”. The government assured them support.
A plan to evacuate them yesterday fell through as Ukraine rejected a Russian plan for a humanitarian corridor to Russia and Belarus.
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