Air India's special ferry flight has left for Ukraine from India today morning to bring back the Indian nationals, news agency ANI tweeted. The Dreamliner B-787 aircraft deployed for the special operation with a capacity of over 200 seats. The special flight from Ukraine will land in Delhi tonight.

The other two flights of Air India are scheduled for February 24 and 26. The flights will take off from Boryspil International Airport and bookings are open through Air India booking offices, website, call center, and authorised travel agents.

As tensions escalated between the NATO countries and Russia over the Ukraine crisis, the Indian embassy in Kyiv issued a fresh advisory in which it also asked all the Indian students to leave that 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,” the embassy said.

It said available commercial flights and charter flights may be availed for travel, for “orderly and timely departure” from Ukraine.

“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,” the embassy said.

Meanwhile, India voiced “deep concern” over the escalation of tension along the Russia-Ukraine border at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) emergency meeting held on Tuesday. India told the UNSC that the immediate priority is de-escalation of tensions, taking into account the “legitimate” security interests of all countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed decrees to recognise Ukraine’s regions of Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics as independent , escalating the tension in the region and increasing fears of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Putin has also ordered troops into eastern Ukraine in what the Kremlin called a “peacekeeping” mission.

Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday night, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said, We have been closely following the evolving developments relating to Ukraine, including developments along the eastern border of Ukraine and the related announcement by the Russian Federation.

“The escalation of tension along the border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation is a matter of deep concern. These developments have the potential to undermine peace and security of the region, he said at an emergency UNSC meeting held at the request of Ukraine.