New Delhi, March 7 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the evolving situation in Ukraine, and thanked him for the help extended in the evacuation of Indian nationals. In their second phone call since the Russia-Ukraine crisis, PM Modi sought continued support from the Government of Ukraine in the ongoing efforts for evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Sumy, the sources said. PM Modi also appreciated the continuing direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, the sources added. The phone call lasted for around 35 minutes. The two leaders had last spoken on February 26, two days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The phone call comes as nearly 16,000 Indians have been evacuated so far as part of Operation Ganga from war-hit Ukraine. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine is set to evacuate the 500 plus students stranded in Sumy via the city of Poltava. Russia on Monday agreed to hold its fire and open new humanitarian corridors across multiple Ukrainian cities on Monday to allow civilians to evacuate.Evacuation routes would be set up in the capital Kyiv, as well as Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy. RN
