Nepal PM Deuba thanks India for bringing back 4 stranded citizens

Kathmandu (Nepal): Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday expressed gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for evacuating four Nepalese nationals stranded in Ukraine amidst the military offensive by Russia.

The evacuation of the Nepalese students was done as part of India's 'Operation Ganga' that was launched to bring back the Indians stuck in Ukraine after Russia launched a military attack on February 24.

"Four Nepali nationals have just arrived in Nepal from Ukraine via India. Thank you Prime Minister @narendramodi and the Government of India for the assistance in repatriating Nepali nationals through the #OperationGanga," Deuba said in a tweet on Saturday.

Last week, the Indian government evacuated two Nepalese citizens from Ukraine.

Earlier, the Nepalese government reached out to the Indian government for the evacuation of its stranded nationals.

India has brought back around 18,000 Indians under 'Operation Ganga' which was launched on February 26, two days after Russia launched its military offensive on Ukraine.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognised Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. (PTI)