Indian embassy in Ukraine says special flights for Indian nationals cancelled

The Indian embassy in Ukraine on Thursday told Indian nationals that the schedule for special flights to Kyiv were cancelled as the country's airspace was closed.

"Alternative arrangements are being made for evacuation of Indian nationals," the embassy said on Twitter.

Russian forces fired missiles at several cities in Ukraine and landed troops on its coast on Thursday, officials and media said, after President Vladimir Putin authorised what he called a special military operation.