At least 10 students from Karnataka stranded in Ukraine: CM Basavaraj Bommai

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said at least ten students of the state are stranded in Ukraine, and the government is working with the Indian Embassy there and Ministry of External Affairs to bring them back home safely. He said that he will also be speaking to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in this regard.

"At the time when war broke out between Russia and Ukraine, about hundred Indian students were on their way to the airport in two buses and got stranded, as the flights could not land. More than 10 are from Karnataka, we are gathering information about them," Bommai said.

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Speaking to reporters here, he said, his government is in constant touch with the Indian Embassy in Ukraine, the Chief Secretary is in touch with the Foreign Secretary, and that he will also be personally speaking to the External Affairs Minister in this regard.

"A message has been sent to the Embassy, and the Embassy is guiding the students on where to reach and the security situation. They should be safe first, and when the flights begin operation, all measures will be taken to bring them back home, in coordination with the Government of India," he added.

Stating that students were coming back to India in batches as per their convenience, the Chief Minister said, this was probably the last batch and they had almost reached the airport, when the situation changed.

India on Thursday was firming up contingency plans including activating alternate air routes to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine as the spectre of a massive Russian offensive loomed over the eastern European country after President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation.

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The Ministry of External Affairs held a series of high-level meetings to put into operation certain contingency plans in view of the rapidly changing situation in Ukraine. Official sources have said given that the Ukrainian airspace was closed for civilian aircraft, alternate evacuation routes are being activated to bring back the Indians, especially the students.