Urinary crisis: The Ministry of External Affairs has claimed that officials are in regular contact with students in Sumi.
new Delhi:
India’s foreign ministry today said it has “strongly pressured” the Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire to create a safe corridor for its students stranded in the midst of a raging war in Ukraine. It also claimed that the ministry and the Indian embassy are in regular touch with students, who have been posting desperate and emotional pleas for evacuation from the conflict-ridden region.
“Our students have been advised to take safety precautions, stay inside shelters and avoid unnecessary exposure,” said Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.
We are very concerned about the Indian students in Sumy, Ukraine. The Russian and Ukrainian governments have been strongly pressured through several channels for an immediate ceasefire in order to create a safe corridor for our students.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) 5 March 2022
This comes soon after a video of Indian students stranded in the city of Sumy in north east Ukraine was shared, in which they said that they have decided to take a risky journey. Russian border It is 50 kms away. He claimed that would be his “last video” from Sumi, adding that the Indian government and his embassy in Ukraine would be responsible if anything happened to him.
However, the students have decided not to leave after being approached by the embassy.
In the video from the Sumy State University campus, a large group of students can be seen standing in the snow, packed and ready to go. They were holding several Indian flags.
“Since morning, we are hearing constant boarding, shelling and street fighting. We are afraid, we have waited too long and we cannot wait any longer. We are risking our lives and marching towards the border. If we have to Kuch hota hai, all responsibility will be of government and Indian embassy. If anything happens to anyone, Mission Ganga will be the biggest failure,” says a student in the video.
Another student said, “Please pray for us…this is our last video.”
University students are constantly posting videos highlighting the dire circumstances they have been forced to brave. In a video from the hostelStudents were seen collecting snow to melt for water.
They say that around 800-900 Indian students have been lodged in the hostels of Sumy State University’s medical institute for more than a week and they lack food and water.
they have no clue for evacuation and Have already appealed to the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modisaying, “We will all be killed”.
An Indian student said in a message, “Nothing has been done for us. We have seen some foreign students leaving Sumi alone, but they were shot. We have videos to show this.” About a hundred students are standing behind him, all looking worried.
The Indian embassy last week warned of fierce fighting in Kharkiv, Sumy and Kyiv. Reports say that trains and buses have stopped operating in Sumi, roads and bridges outside the city have been destroyed, and there is heavy fighting on the streets.
Russia today informed the UN Security Council that Russian buses are ready at the crossing points for the eastern cities of Kharkiv and Sumy in Ukraine to rescue Indian students and other foreign nationals stranded there.
“In the Belgorod region of Russia, 130 comfortable buses are waiting (and ready) at the crossing points ‘Nekhotyevka’ and ‘Suja’ to go to Kharkiv and Sumy to evacuate Indian students and others from 6:00 am today ) foreign nationals,” said Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzia.
The Russian envoy said the checkpoints are equipped to provide temporary accommodation, places to rest and hot meals. There are also mobile medical stations with stock of medicines.
“All the evicted people will then be taken to Belgorod, and from there to their homeland by air,” he said.
The Indian Embassy in Ukraine today said it is exploring “all possible mechanisms” to evacuate them safely and securely. In a tweet in the morning, it said it has discussed the identification of evacuation and exit routes with all interlocutors, including the international humanitarian organization Red Cross.
“Exploring all possible mechanisms for the safe and secure evacuation of Indian nationals in Sumi. Discussed the identification of evacuation and exit routes with all interlocutors including the Red Cross. The control room will remain active as long as all our citizens are evacuated. Don’t get fired. Stay safe stay strong,” it said.
At least 1,000 Indians – 700 in Sumy and 300 in Kharkiv – are still stranded in conflict zones in eastern Ukraine, the government said on Friday, adding that arranging buses to evacuate them is proving to be the biggest challenge right now.