First IAF C-17 aircraft to return with Indian citizens from Ukraine today

The first Indian Air Force C-17, a heavy-lift transport aircraft that went to Romania to bring back Indian students from Ukraine, would be landing at the Hindan airbase at 11 pm on Wednesday.

"The first C-17 that left on Wednesday morning will return from Romania tonight with around 200 Indian citizens being evacuated from Ukraine at 11 pm tonight," Indian Air Force (IAF) sources said.

"Two more planes will return from Poland and Hungary by early minor No V tomorrow. IAF has till now launched four flights to bring back people from Ukraine," IAF officials said here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had issued orders to the Air Force to pitch in the rescue operations to augment the level of operation Ganga.

The Indian Air Force had put its fleet of C-17 transport aircraft on stand by for evacuating citizens from Ukraine. Indian Air Force is geared up for any requirements of the evacuation of our citizens from Ukraine, an IAF spokesperson had said.

The American C-17 Globemasters and IL-76 transport aircraft are the most capable for flying to long distances with around 400 passengers. The C-17 transport aircraft had helped in a big way to evacuate citizens and officials from Kabul when the Taliban captured Afghanistan and forced Americans to exit from there.

On February 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high level meeting to review the ongoing efforts under Operation Ganga to bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister said that the entire government machinery is working round the clock to ensure that all Indian nationals there are safe and secure.

The government also informed that the first consignment of relief supplies to Ukraine to deal with the humanitarian situation on Ukraine's borders has been despatched.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities escalating the ongoing tensions between the two countries. Ukraine gained independence in 1991 after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

Earlier in February, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that special military operations are being launched "to protect" the people in the Donbas region. He also warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to "consequences".

Leaders from a number of countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine.