Of the estimated 20,000 Indians, including students, who were trapped in Ukraine at the start of the Russian offensive there, 60% have crossed Ukrainian borders and are safe with efforts underway to rescue the remaining people, the Union government told the Kerala High Court on Wednesday, March 2. The Union government has told the High Court that under 'Operation Ganga', in addition to commercial aircrafts, Indian Air Force flights have also been pressed into operation to evacuate the Indians who have crossed into Romania, Poland, Hungary and other neighbouring countries of Ukraine.
With regard to the students stranded in war-hit Kharkiv on the Eastern side of Ukraine, the Indian government said the situation there was volatile as the city was under heavy shelling and it was, therefore, "advisable for our students to stay put wherever they are for their physical safety". "As and when the situation improves, the students in Kharkiv will be evacuated on priority in a suitable manner. Our Mission in Kyiv is in touch with most of the students and has been trying to make available provisions where possible,” the Union government said.
"The Mission has also requested the Ukrainian authorities to ensure their safety and security," the government has said in a statement filed in the court through Assistant Solicitor General (ASG) Manu S. The statement was filed in response to a plea moved by the Kerala High Court Advocates Association and two of its members, for the safe and expeditious repatriation of Malayali students trapped there.
On Wednesday, the petitioners told the court that the students mentioned in their plea have crossed into Hungary and are safe. However, they said they have some other concerns to discuss as well, and subsequently, the court listed the matter for hearing on Thursday.
A C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force left for Romania on Wednesday morning carrying humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The aircraft is expected to bring back Indians from Romania, who exited war-hit Ukraine through its border crossings. Officials said the aircraft left for Romania early in the morning.
India on Tuesday sent the first tranche of humanitarian assistance comprising medicines and other relief materials to Ukraine via Poland. India had decided to send the relief supplies to Ukraine to help it deal with the humanitarian situation along its border areas with tens of thousands of people attempting to flee the Russian invasion. "The Prime Minister noted that the first consignment of relief supplies to Ukraine to deal with the humanitarian situation on Ukraine's borders would be dispatched tomorrow," the Ministry of External Affairs had said on Monday.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron had a phone conversation on Tuesday, which focused on the "Russian aggression" against Ukraine and agreed on the importance of reaching a ceasefire as soon as possible. The French Embassy in India said this in a readout on Wednesday, a day after the Modi-Macron talks.
It said the two leaders underlined the importance of ensuring unhindered humanitarian access and agreed to maintain close coordination on the crisis, particularly at the UN Security Council. The tragic death of an Indian student in shelling in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Tuesday also figured in the discussion.
"The discussion focused on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, in particular the issue of the impact on the civilian population at a time when a young Indian national had tragically died in Kharkiv as a result of the shelling," according to the readout.
An Indian statement on Tuesday night said the two leaders discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine and shared their concerns over continuing hostilities and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in that country. It said Modi reiterated India's consistent appeal for cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.
"He stressed India's belief that respect for international law, the UN Charter and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states underpin the contemporary world order," it said.
Russia on Wednesday said it is working "intensely" to create a "humanitarian corridor" for safe passage to Russian territory of Indians stuck in Kharkiv, Sumy and other conflict zones in Ukraine. At a media briefing, Russian Ambassador-designate Denis Alipov said Russia is in touch with India on the issue of safety of Indians and that the safe passage will be put into place "as soon as possible.”
"We are working intensely on creating the corridor and secure safe passage for Indians stuck in various conflict zones in Ukraine," he said. He added that Russia is working on ways and means to provide safe passage to Indians for their secure passage to Russian territory from the conflict zones in Ukraine.
To a question, Alipov said he does not "see any hurdle" in the supply of the S-400 missile systems to India because of the Western sanctions against Russia following the Ukraine crisis. India has taken an "unbiased" position based on assessment of the situation in Ukraine and not because it is dependent on Russian arms, he added.
"We do coordinate our positions at the UN and inform India about our approach," he said. Alipov further added: "We do everything possible to keep India up-to-date on what is happening.