New Delhi: One of the three Air India special flight left for Ukraine on Tuesday morning to bring back Indian nationals stranded in the former soviet state which has found itself in the middle of soaring tensions between Russia and the West.
Over 200-seat capacitor plane named ‘Dreamliner B-787 Aircraft,’ has been deployed for the special operation which will land back Delhi full-seated tonight.
More than 20,000 Indians are living in Ukraine.
A day after the Indian government removed restrictions on the number of flights to and from Ukraine under the air bubble arrangement, Air India had on February 18 announced that it will operate three Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) flights between India and Ukraine this month. These were scheduled for February 22, 24 and 26. The flights will operate to and from Boryspil International Airport, Ukraine’s largest airport.
Ukraine has called the mission “occupation troops” and demanded their immediate withdrawal.
India said that the escalations of tensions were a matter of great concern and that the immediate priority should be the de-escalation of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. India has repeatedly stressed that the safety and well being of its national is a priority.
At the United Nations Security Council Briefing on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements on Ukraine last week, India had stressed “quiet and constructive” diplomacy and advised against any steps that might increase tensions. The Russian embassy in India had welcomed India’s “balanced, principled and independent approach”.
American President Joe Biden, who had repeatedly warned Russia against recognising rebel territories, swiftly announced financial sanctions against the territories recognised by Russia in eastern Ukraine, even though the two regions already had very limited dealings with the US and its citizens. The US has announced that it will also impose sanctions on Moscow on Tuesday.
