New Delhi

India on Monday opened a new route in the Western part of Ukraine through Moldova to evacuate its citizens amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"I am happy to announce that we have also been able to open a new route through Moldova. An MEA team reached Moldova today morning. That team is now in place. They will assist in the evacuation operations of Indians through Romania as Moldova is land-locked," Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said.

 "These people will come into Moldova, then go to Romania and then to Bucharest and fly out from there. This new route should help Indians in Southern Ukraine around Odesa and those places and those near Ukraine-Moldova borders," Bagchi said.

India has evacuated over 8000 nationals since the initial advisories were issued by the country and six evacuation flights have landed in India bringing back around 1400 citizens.

"We are separately expanding evacuation process through the Hungary border. There is a city of Uzhhorod that Foreign Secretary mentioned yesterday, we are using that as a staging point for that area. It is far southwest of Ukraine and Hungary also, we have good movement of people," said Bagchi.

He also said that MEA officials are aware that some people were waiting on Moldova's side, some people have crossed into Moldova but couldn't enter Romania.

"So, we are now looking how we can move them from Ukraine into Moldova and into Romania. It's in process, but, some people are already in Moldova and we are trying to see how they can be helped into Romania and into Bucharest," said the spokesperson.
 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with his Hungarian and Moldovian counterparts on Sunday and discussed cooperation for the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

The EAM thanked the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto for aiding the evacuation of Indian Nationals from Ukraine and requested further cooperation.