The MEA later said that the safe zones and the deadline were given based on Russian inputs.
The embassy tweeted the first advisory around 1.30pm (5pm IST).
URGENT ADVISORY TO ALL INDIAN NATIONALS IN KHARKIV.FOR THEIR SAFETY AND SECURITY THEY MUST LEAVE KHARKIV IMMEDIATE… https://t.co/E6M0f4y13H
— India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine) 1646220429000
A second urgent advisory was issued about an hour later wherein stranded Indians were told to make it to the safe points at all costs, even “proceed on foot”.
Out of the 20,000 Indians stranded in war-torn Ukraine, 6,000 have been brought back to the country so far and the Centre is making all efforts for the safe return of the remaining ones, Union minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan said on Wednesday.
“There were around 20,000 students/citizens who were stranded in Ukraine. Of them, 4,000 were brought back to India before February 24. Additional 2,000 students were brought back to India till Tuesday and efforts are on to evacuate the remaining Indians stuck there,” he said.
Since the number of stranded persons is big, defence aircraft are being used to bring them back to India, Muraleedharan said.
With the help of Ukraine’s neighbouring countries Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, the students are being evacuated to India, he said.
The Union government has initiated ‘Operation Ganga’ to bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine.
(With inputs from agencies)