The family members of Indian Embassy officials in Ukraine have been asked to move back to India amid high levels of tensions on borders, reported news agency ANI, quoting sources, on Sunday.
This comes hours after the embassy urged the Indian nationals in Ukraine, whose stay is not essential, to leave the country temporarily.
“In view of the continued high levels of tensions and uncertainties with respect to the situation in Ukraine, all Indian nationals whose stay is not deemed essential and all Indian students, are advised to leave Ukraine temporarily," said the embassy in its new advisory.
“Available commercial flights, and charter flights may be availed for travel, for orderly and timely departure," it added.
The embassy also asked Indian students to also get in touch with respective student contractors for updates on charter flights.
“Indian students are advised to also get in touch with respective student contractors for updates on charter flights, and also continue to follow Embassy Facebook, website and Twitter for any update," it said.
It had asked its citizens to leave Kyiv temporarily amid the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine earlier on 15 February too.
In an advisory, India also requested its nationals to keep the Embassy informed about the status of their presence to enable it to reach them where required.
This comes as Russia extended military drills near Ukraine's northern borders on Sunday amid increased fears that two days of sustained shelling along the contact line between soldiers and Russa-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine could spark an invasion.
The exercises, originally set to end Sunday, brought a sizable contingent of Russian forces to neighbouring Belarus, which borders Ukraine to the north. The presence of the Russian troops raised concern that they could be used to sweep down on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
The announcement came from the defence minister of Belarus, who said the two countries would “continue testing the response forces."
Western leaders warned that Russia was poised to attack its neighbour, which is surrounded on three sides by about 1,50,000 Russian soldiers, warplanes and equipment. Russia held nuclear drills Saturday as well as the conventional exercises in Belarus and has ongoing naval drills off the coast in the Black Sea.
Earlier, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday accused Russia of "planning a full-scale attack on Ukraine" under a false pretext, according to media reports.
"No troops are being withdrawn, as Russia says, but new troops are being added," Stoltenberg told German public broadcaster ARD, reported Sputnik news agency.
The United States and many European countries have alleged for months that Russia is trying to create pretexts to invade. They have threatened massive, immediate sanctions if it does.
