Maha CM expresses concern over safety of people in Ukraine, asks officials to coordinate with MEA 'for their safe return'

Amid ongoing Russian military operations in Ukraine, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday expressed concern over the safety of people, who have gone from Maharashtra for industry, education and business.

As per an official statement from Chief Minister's Secretariat, the Chief Minister has instructed the Chief Secretary to coordinate with the Central Government and keep in touch with them.

The Chief Minister has also asked the administration to coordinate with the Centre on priorirty over the safety of students and other people from Maharashtra who are in Ukraine and "bring them back safely to the state."

Thackeray has instructed the administration to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs to see what arrangements are being made for the citizens of Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan has said that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is taking steps to bring back about 18,000 Indians including students from Ukraine.

Amid the closure of Ukrainian airspace, the Indian embassy in Kiev has said that alternative arrangements are being made for the evacuation of Indian citizens in Ukraine.

The information was conveyed through an advisory that comes in the backdrop of Russian military operations in the Donbas region of Ukraine. The embassy said the schedule for special flights has been cancelled due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace.

Soon after Russia launched its military operations in the Donbas region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday announced the decision of severing his country's diplomatic relations with Moscow.

Ukraine gained independence in 1991 after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

( With inputs from ANI )

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