Russia-Ukraine crisis: India working on increasing flights between Kyiv and Delhi, sets up control rooms

New Delhi, Feb 16: Amid the tensions between Ukraine and Russia and fear of invasion from Russia, the Indian authorities are discussing how to increase the number of flights between India and Ukraine to fly Indian nationals, especially students, out of the country before the situation escalates.

As per government sources, discussions are underway with civil aviation authorities and various airlines on how to increase the number of flights between Kyiv and Delhi.

''Control Rooms in the Embassy as well as in the Ministry of External Affairs are being setup to respond to queries of Indian nationals in Ukraine and their families in India,'' Sources further added.

Notably, India on Tuesday advised its citizens in Ukraine to temporarily leave that country amid escalating tension between Russia and NATO countries over the eastern European nation. In an advisory, the Indian embassy in Kyiv asked Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to and within Ukraine. The embassy is monitoring the situation.

Although Russia, on Wednesday announced that the military drills in Moscow-annexed Crimea have ended and the troops have started returning to the mainland, reported news agency AFP.