Chennai: India is likely to end the evacuation exercise — Operation Ganga — today, an official has said urging the few remaining Indians to opt for the last flights out of Ukraine.

Operation Ganga was launched to evacuate Indian nationals days after Russian forces invaded Ukraine on 24 February. Around 18000 Indians have been brought back so far. During the operation, buses and trains brought Indians to the western borders of Ukraine and they were flown back to India via locations like Bucharest, Budapest, Suceava and Warsaw.

Amid the Russia Ukraine crisis, India has set an example by evacuating all Indian nationals stuck in Ukraine through Operation Ganga. As the operation nears completion with the return of final-batch of Indians nationals stuck in Sumy, praises are pouring in for India for its timely action and effective diplomacy.

As per the government, the last flight will depart from Bucharest today. Under ‘Operation Ganga’ to rescue Indian citizens from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, about 18,000 Indians have been brought back by special flights so far.

Indian students who were evacuated from Sumy in Ukraine on Tuesday have reached the railway station of the western city of Lviv safely and boarded a special train to Poland.

The students were escorted by the Indian Embassy in Ukraine in coordination with the Red Cross.

The students, who proceeded to Western Ukraine, said it would take 10 hours to reach a safe location. ‘We initially are being shifted to Western Ukraine from Poltava. Last night, we reached Poltava safely and from there we proceeded towards to Western Ukraine. The Embassy officials will monitor us to reach the border where the they have arranged special flights to India,’ a medical student said.