Russia-Ukraine tensions: Indians unable to use ceasefire routes, Government seeks safe corridor for students

Russia and Ukraine announced Saturday a ceasefire — they called it a “regime of silence” — and humanitarian corridors for civilians to leave the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, but Indians stranded in eastern Ukraine were unable to use these exit routes.

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Ukraine said the Russians violated the agreement and the ongoing shelling made it “impossible to open humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of civilians”.

Some Indians were only able to move towards Ukraine’s western border, and not the eastern border with Russia.

In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review the situation in Ukraine and the evacuation process.

Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said not too many Indians are left in Ukraine apart from those in Sumy and Pisochyn.

“Almost all Indians have left Kharkiv which was an area of considerable concern over the last few days,” he said.

The Indian embassy in Ukraine said “Pisochyn has been evacuated of all Indian citizens. Mission will continue to remain in touch with them through their journey. Their safety has always been our priority.”

Earlier, the MEA spokesperson had said, “In nearby Pisochyn, as of a few hours ago, there were less than 289 students who were to be evacuated. We hope to complete that task by today. Three buses have already left with students from there. In five buses, we will be able to get the rest. We should be able to clear out everyone in a few hours.”

In the last 24 hours, Bagchi said, 15 flights landed in India with 2,900 people on board. Around 13,300 have returned to India on 63 flights under Operation Ganga so far. In the next 24 hours, 13 flights have been scheduled including one by an IAF aircraft.

The Indian government asked students in Sumy in north-eastern Ukraine to stay put and called for a ceasefire in the area so that they can be evacuated.

“We are deeply concerned about Indian students in Sumy, Ukraine. Have strongly pressed Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire to create a safe corridor for our students. Have advised our students to take safety precautions, stay inside shelters and avoid unnecessary risks. The Ministry and our Embassies are in regular touch with the students,” Bagchi said.

Explained

The exit options

In terms of distance, exiting Ukraine via the east is closer for stranded Indians. Across the border is Russian territory. Officials say exiting via the west will be a faster option if there is a ceasefire because there will be only one frontline to cross.

“The main focus is now on Sumy, which is on the north-east border with Russia. We are exploring multiple options for evacuating students out of there. But the main challenge remains the ongoing shelling there, violence and the lack of transportation options. I think even more than transportation, it is about having a secure and safe way to get them out while they are not under threat. We are in touch with all concerned regarding possible movement,” he said.

“The best option for us would be a ceasefire… that allows us to get our students out, and in this connection we have been strongly pressing both Russian and Ukrainian sides to allow this kind of a local ceasefire. It has not yet happened but we are continuing to push for that,” he said.

On the evacuation of students in Sumy, he said, “There are clearly two or more options. It can go east or west. We are not choosing one over the other. It all depends on what is the transportation option, logistics arrangements that can be organised. At this point, unfortunately we don’t have many of those options because our primary requirement is having a safe route where our children are not at risk when they leave their campuses. The good thing about Sumy is that they are concentrated. They are together in one or two locations. It will be easier to pick them up but still we have around 700 of them. Our primary option is to evacuate them safely. If the east makes it easier, okay. In terms of distance, the east is probably the closest but in terms of having two frontlines, the west will be faster if there is a ceasefire because there will be only one frontline to cross. We have teams on the ground, they will decide,” he said.

Partha Satpathy, India’s ambassador to Ukraine, also posted a message on Twitter, saying the government will leave “no stone unturned” in its efforts to ensure safe evacuation of students in Sumy.

“Over the past week, we have evacuated over 10,000 Indian students from Ukraine. Barring Kharkiv and Sumy, almost all Indians from the remaining regions of Ukraine have been evacuated. In the case of Kharkiv, despite being an active war zone with heavy shelling, we have maintained consistent and constant efforts to evacuate our citizens. Towards this end, in the past two days alone, we have evacuated more than 500 Indian students from Pisochyn,” the ambassador said.

Earlier in the day, the Russian embassy in New Delhi said that starting 10 am Moscow time, the Russian side had declared a “regime of silence” and opened humanitarian corridors for civilians to leave Mariupol and Volnovakha.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, however, said, “Violating the agreements reached, Russia continues to launch missile and bomb strikes on Mariupol, Volnovakha and other Ukrainian cities. The ongoing shelling makes it impossible to open humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of civilians, the delivery of medicines, and food.”

“We call on the international community – states and international organisations – to immediately condemn Russia’s gross violation of the agreements on the opening of humanitarian corridors, and call on Moscow to order Russian troops to cease fire,” it said.

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