India on Tuesday said a team of officials who arrived in the Russian city of Belgorod was unable to help Indians stranded in Ukraine’s Kharkiv city. Belgorod is located 40 km from Kharkiv, facing heavy bombardment by Russian forces acting as a “barrier” before the much-needed evacuation.
The statement from informed sources comes six days after President Vladimir Putin ordered a “special military operation” against Ukraine. The deployment of officials in Belgorod is expected to enhance coordination between students and professionals stranded in the city, as well as between Indian and Russian officials.
It is understood that several options are being considered for the evacuation of stranded Indians from the conflict zone of Kharkiv.
Earlier an official indicated that India is in talks with both Ukraine and Russia to ensure safe passage for Indian citizens from the city, Ukraine’s second largest urban centre. Indian authorities in Belgorod, however, have not found a window to evacuate civilians as Russia continues to attack the city as it is a major target for Moscow’s forces. Belgorod is the administrative capital of Belgorod Oblast and is located a short drive from Kharkiv. It is understood that Indian authorities await a break in the fighting to facilitate the speedy evacuation of as many students as possible.
Many Indian nationals based in the western part of Ukraine have managed to flee to the Polish, Romanian and Hungarian borders as they were located close to these international borders. However, the eastern city of Kharkiv, which is famous for its medical education, has a large number of Indian students who have been left without an exit. The tragic death of an Indian student in the city on Tuesday has also exposed the alarming situation on the ground.
India on Tuesday flew three more aircraft as part of Operation Ganga for Indian citizens stranded in the conflict zone of Ukraine. Flights operated from Hungary’s capital Budapest and Romanian capital Bucharest as more Indians managed to cross Ukraine’s western border. Informed sources shared a grim assessment of the current situation in Kharkiv where Indian citizens are living without adequate food and water supplies.
The main challenge in evacuating students from Ukraine is the fact that Indian citizens are on their own as long as they are inside the country in view of the fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Once they move to neighboring countries they can be helped by the Indian authorities. The Ministry of External Affairs has deployed additional officers to neighboring countries, including Russia, for the task. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Tuesday summoned Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov and reiterated India’s demand to ensure safe passage for Indian nationals in Ukraine.
The Hindu had earlier reported that the Indian embassy had written to students and professionals from Ukraine weeks ago to share instructions and contact numbers to ensure smooth evacuation. However this plan apparently suffered a setback with the outbreak of violence on 24 February. Ukraine’s ambassador Igor Polikha once again reiterated his country’s call for an end to Russian attacks, saying, “In addition to Russian and Ukrainian soldiers, a large number of civilians are dying.”