Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, an Indian national was killed in shelling in Kharkiv. The development was confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
In a tweet, the MEA spokesperson informed, “With profound sorrow, we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning. The Ministry is in touch with his family. We convey our deepest condolences to the family.”
Foreign Secretary is calling in Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 1, 2022
Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine.
He further added, “Foreign Secretary is calling in Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones. Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine.”
Times Now journalist Komal Gautham informed that the deceased has been identified as one Naveen from Karnataka. His friends said they had left for the train station to leave for Lviv to reach the western border,” she tweeted. His parents have now reached out to the Russian embassy in Chennai.
Parents in CHennai seek Russian embassy help to get students out of Kharkhiv as they state, Russia is just 30km from Kharkhiv border.
— Komal Gautham (@komalgauthamTOI) March 1, 2022
Nearly 20,000 Indian students, most studying medicine, have been stuck in Ukraine. The Indian government has started an evacuation operation named ‘Operation Ganga’ for the stranded Indian students. Several special flights have been running from Poland, Romania, and Hungary to bring the students home.
Kharkiv is a big Ukrainian city in the Eastern region where intense fighting has been going on between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
Earlier on Thursday (February 24), Russian President Vladimir Putin announced limited “military operations” against Ukraine. In a televised address, Russian President Vladimir Putin had declared for the special operation to be conducted in East Ukraine.
Putin had added explicitly that Moscow does not plan to occupy Ukraine. He said the military action he announced would seek to “demilitarise” and “denazify” Ukraine and came in response to threats from Ukraine.
