Nearly 2,000 from Haryana stuck in Ukraine, in touch with MEA: CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Chandigarh, Feb 24: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said that nearly 2,000 people from Haryana, mostly students, were stuck in Ukraine and he was in touch with Union Ministry of External Affairs on this issue.

Khattar also said the MEA had already set up a control room, while in Chandigarh, a control room has been set up by the state government where people from Haryana can contact on WhatsApp number 92123-14595. They can also reach Foreign Cooperation Department of Haryana government over "email-- [email protected]".

Khattar, who was addressing a joint press conference with Home Minister Anil Vij, while referring to the Ukraine situation, said among the Indians who are stuck there include nearly 2,000 from Haryana.

"I am in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs," he said replying to a question on the Ukraine situation and the number of those from Haryana who are stuck there. To another question, he said mostly students are among the nearly 2,000 from Haryana who are stuck.

Among the students too, most of them are those who had gone to study medicine in Ukraine, the chief minister said. The situation in Ukraine deteriorated after President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation into Ukraine, triggering serious concerns over the possibility of a full-scale military confrontation between the two countries.

Following Putin's announcement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said an "invasion" could be the beginning of a "big war" in Europe. Khattar said he had received a letter from Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and some Haryana MLAs had also contacted him regarding the people of state who are stuck in Ukraine. In his letter, Surjewala urged Khattar to take up with the Prime Minister to extend all facilities to the Indians who are stuck in Ukraine and make arrangements to bring the countrymen, including nearly 2,000 from Haryana, back home safely.

Surjewala had also urged Khattar to direct the Deputy Commissioners in the state to prepare a list of those who had gone to Ukraine from their districts after which the government should try to establish contact with them.

The Indian embassy in Ukraine on Thursday asked Indian nationals to maintain calm and remain safe wherever they are. It said in view of closure of Ukrainian airspace for civilian aircraft, alternative arrangements are being made for evacuation of Indian nationals. It added that the embassy will convey information about it as soon as such arrangements are finalised, so that Indian nationals can relocate to the western part of the country.