Ukraine crisis: Aviation Ministry says over 7,400 Indians expected to be brought back in next 2 days

More than 7,400 Indians are expected to be brought back to India from Ukraine's neighbouring countries on special flights in the next two days, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Thursday.

Indian carriers -- Air India Express, Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo, Vistara and Go First -- are expected to operate a total of 17 flights on Friday, the ministry's statement noted.

India has been evacuating its citizens through special flights from Ukraine's western neighbours such as Romania, Hungary and Poland as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive.

"The number of civilian flights is being scaled up further, and more than 7,400 people are expected to be brought through special flights in next two days," the ministry's statement mentioned.

It stated that 3,500 people are expected to be brought back to India on Friday and over 3,900 on Saturday.

The ministry said India has till now brought back 6,998 people on special flights -- including the ones operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF) -- since February 22.

It noted that 13 evacuation flights -- 10 by Indian carriers and three by the IAF -- are scheduled to return to India on Thursday.

Four Union ministers have gone to Ukraine's western neighbours to facilitate the evacuation of Indian nationals.

Hardeep Singh Puri is in Hungary, Jyotiraditya Scindia is in Romania, Kiren Rijiju is in Slovakia and V K Singh is in Poland.