India steps up evacuation, raises concerns about safety of citizens
NEW DELHI: India on Sunday conveyed its concerns about the safety of Indian nationals to both Russia and Ukraine, even as efforts were stepped up to get more citizens out of the war-torn country and to ensure the security of those caught in conflict zones.
The Indian government has so far gotten some 2,000 nationals out of Ukraine, and 1,000 of them have been flown back on chartered flights from Hungary and Romania. However, Indians who moved to the border with Poland, faced problems and long delays in crossing over as the check point was clogged by hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the fighting.
Foreign secretary Harsh Shringla told a media briefing he had called in the envoys of Russia and Ukraine separately and “conveyed to them our deep concerns on the safety and security of Indian citizens, particularly students based in Ukraine”. The Indian side shared locations where its nationals are concentrated for “ensuring their protection”.
Both envoys assured Shringla they are “very cognisant of the safety and security of Indians in a conflict zone”, the foreign secretary said.
Denis Alipov, the new Russian envoy who arrived last week, said in a tweet that he had discussed bilateral and international issues and “ways to ensure safety of Indian students” in Ukraine. “Expressed our full support to this end,” he added.
India’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva also spoke to the president of the
International Committee of the Red Cross, which is set to commence operations in Ukraine, to assist Indian nationals and escort them out of conflict zones. Shringla said India will share the main areas where Indians are located with the Red Cross to facilitate this.
A key concern for India is ensuring the safety of nationals caught up in areas that are witnessing intense fighting, including about 2,000 in the capital Kyiv, 4,000 in the eastern city of Kharkiv, and more in Sumy and Odessa.
“Unfortunately, these areas continue to be live conflict areas, and it is generally deemed unsafe for people to move around freely. We will try to find suitable evacuation modalities for (the Indians) once feasible, Shringla said.
For the moment, Indians in these conflict zones are being advised not to move around and to seek shelter in bunkers and other facilities. The Ukrainian side is attempting to provide food and water to Indians in these areas to the extent possible.
About 4,000 Indians left Ukraine before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation in support of the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk on February 24. According to an Indian estimate, some 15,000 Indians are still in Ukraine, though many have begun moving towards the safer western region to leave via borders with Hungary, Romania, Poland and Slovakia.
Several videos emerged on social media of Indian and African students facing problems while attempting to leave through crossings on the Polish border.