Russia Ukraine Crisis Highlights: Russians push toward Kyiv; 2nd AI flight carrying 250 Indian students to land in Delhi on Sunday

Authorities in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv extend a curfew until early Monday amid fighting with Russian troops, reports AP. (PTI)

Government is standing firmly behind the Indians stranded in Ukraine amid the crisis in that country, and as part of evacuation efforts, wherever possible, they have been advised to reach borders of four neighbouring countries via land routes, Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi said on Saturday. The Minister of State for External Affairs said, “our MEA officials” are there at the border points to facilitate Indian citizens in crossing over to the other side. “As the Ukranian air space is closed, alternative land routes have been advised, so that wherever it is possible, Indian stranded in Ukraine, can get out of that country. These four routes are through borders of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. Once they cross over, MEA will make arrangements for their food and lodging as well,” Lekhi told PTI on the sidelines of an event here. She also said that in parts of Ukraine, where it is not safe to venture out, “we have asked our citizens to stay put wherever they are, as going out is fraught with danger”. (PTI)

A senior US defense official says the United States estimates that more than 50 per cent of Russian combat power arrayed along Ukraine's borders has entered Ukraine. That is up from a US estimate Friday that one-third of the Russian force had been committed to the fight. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US assessments, would not say how many Russian troops that amounts to inside Ukraine, but the US had estimated the total Russian force arrayed near Ukraine at more than 150,000. The official said advancing Russian forces were roughly 30 kilometers outside Kiev as of Saturday, and that an unspecified number of Russian military “reconnaissance elements” had entered the capital. (AP)

Since the beginning of this crisis, our main objective was to bring back each & every Indian stranded in Ukraine. 219 students have arrived here. This was the first batch, the second will reach Delhi soon. We'll not stop until all of them are back home:Union Minister Piyush Goyal (ANI)

Britain's Prince William and wife Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, on Saturday took the rare step to comment on a political issue to offer their support to the people of Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion. The couple made a reference to a royal visit to the country in October 2020 to express their backing for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and the people of the country. “In October 2020, we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine's future,” the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said in a Twitter statement. “Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine's people as they bravely fight for that future,” they said. Protests, demonstrations and vigils in support of Ukraine are being held across the UK, including in London and Manchester. One of the vigils took place outside the Russian Embassy in London, where there were chants of “Russia stop the war”, “Putin stop the war” and “leave Ukraine alone”. Supporters of Ukraine also gathered in other parts of the UK on Saturday, including in Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens, and more vigils have also been organised for Sunday. (PTI)

First Air India flight carrying 219 Indian evacuees from Ukraine lands at Mumbai airport from Bucharest at 7.50 pm: ATC sources. (PTI)

With imports of sunflower oil getting affected due to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, industry body SEA on Saturday said it is weighing options to source cooking oils from other countries to maintain domestic supply and keep retail prices under check. Industry players expect prices of cooking oils to remain stable as the supply of domestic mustard oil will improve from next month. Harvesting of mustard seeds crop is about to start. India's total imports of edible oils surged to a record Rs 1.17 lakh crore in 2020-21 marketing year (November to October) from nearly Rs 72,000 crore in the previous year due to a sharp rise in global prices. In terms of volume, the imports were stable at 130 lakh tonne. (PTI)

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said efforts are being made to safely evacuate people from the state stranded in different cities of Ukraine due to the ongoing Russian military offensive through Poland and other available routes. “Parents and relatives of 188 people stuck in Ukraine have provided information about them on the toll free numbers so far. All efforts are being made to safely evacuate them through Poland and other countries as flight operations in Ukraine have been suspended following the crisis,” Dhami told reporters. He also advised parents and guardians of those stranded in Ukraine not to panic as all efforts are being made at the highest level to secure the safe evacuation of all Indian citizens from the crisis-ridden country. (PTI)

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will provide free services to all the students returning from Ukraine today. We will provide them free Covid testing, vaccines, food and all other facilities: Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar (ANI)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeks political support in UN Security Council. (PTI)

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said the Russia-Ukraine war will affect the entire world including India, causing spike in inflation that will severely hit the poor sections and remote areas of the country. “The situation in Ukraine is not going to affect only India but it will affect the entire world. As soon as the elections will be over, you will see prices of oil will increase because the prices of crude is going to increase rapidly. And that will affect prices of all commodities. “Those who live in far flung areas will be affected far more, inflation will increase and it will be difficult for the poor man to sustain it in honour and in dignity. In Jammu and Kashmir, it is going to adversely affect us.. Even survival will be difficult,” Abdullah told reporters. He said India wants peace to return to the region at the earliest. (PTI)

Air India's first evacuation flight departed from Romanian capital Bucharest on Saturday afternoon for Mumbai with 219 Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine due to the ongoing Russian military offensive, officials said. The airline's two more evacuation flights — one for Bucharest and one for Hungarian capital Budapest — departed from Delhi on Saturday. Indian nationals who reached the Ukraine-Romania border and Ukraine-Hungary border by road have been taken to Bucharest and Budapest, respectively, by Indian government officials so that they can be evacuated in these Air India flights, they said. The first evacuation flight AI1944 departed from Bucharest at 1.55 PM (Indian Standard Time) with 219 Indians and is expected to land at the Mumbai airport at around 9 PM on Saturday, they said. (PTI)

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday told the state Assembly that 130 state residents are stuck in Ukraine and 32 of them are being brought back to India on two chartered flights. In a statement in the House, Thakur said a Government of India chartered flight will reach Delhi from Bucharest on Saturday at 7 pm. This flight will bring back several Indians, including 15 Himachal Pradesh residents, stuck in Ukraine, he said. Another flight will reach Mumbai from Bucharest on Sunday at 2 am, which will bring back several Indians, including 17 state residents, he added. The CM told the Assembly that a direct flight from Ukraine is not possible as the airspace there has been closed for civilian flights. Amid Russian military operations in Ukraine, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has established four locations in Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Romania for evacuation of Indian citizens, he added. Indians stuck in Ukraine will be brought by road to these four locations and the MEA is trying to evacuate them to India through chartered flights, he added. A Helpline has been set up in Ukraine and New Delhi in this regard, he added. (PTI)

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday said six students from the state, who have been stranded in war-ravaged Ukraine, are on their way to Romania in a specially arranged bus, as part of the evacuation mission. He also said 12 Manipuri students have already been evacuated. “Among Indians who are being evacuated from Ukraine, six Manipuri students are on their way to Romania in a specially arranged bus, at the moment. “Earlier, 12 Manipuri students have already been evacuated. Air India has also started evacuation missions to bring back the stranded Indians from Romania,” the CM said on Facebook. (PTI)

The mayor of the Ukrainian capital is imposing an intensified curfew as Russian troops press on the city. Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said on Telegram that the curfew will extend from 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. and “all civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups.” The previous curfew imposed two days ago was from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. (AP)

First batch of Indian students enter Hungary from Ukrainian side at Zahony crossing, travelling onward to Budapest for return to India by AI flight today

Promising all help and support to people from Jharkhand, mostly students trapped in Ukraine, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday announced that the state will reimburse the airfare of those who are returning from the war-torn country on personal expenses. – PTI

Russian forces have continued their advance on Kyiv with the bulk of their forces now 30km from centre of the city. Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to put up staunch resistance across the country: UK Ministry of Defence

The Kerala government will bear the cost of flight tickets for the students arriving in Delhi and Mumbai on evacuation flights arranged by the Union Government from Ukraine which is under attack from Russian forces, state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday. – PTI