Kyiv: Russia is shoving to gain control in the major Ukrainian cities as the country is holding up a defiant stand, and protecting their motherland. From this war zone country, India has started the evacuation of Indian nationals, by roping in the Air Force. Russian forces have taken over the Ukrainian city of Kherson.
The news of the takeover has been confirmed by local officials on Wednesday. Kherson is the first major urban Centre to fall since Moscow invaded a week ago. As per the news agency AFP, the Mariupol, a strategic port on the Sea of Azov, has been surrounded by the Russian Forces.
648 Indians including the students have been flown back by the Indian Air Force flight on its C-17 military transport aircraft. The planes took off from Romania, Hungary, and Poland.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and got assurance of Russian help for the safe evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Kharkiv – the Ukrainian city which is virtually under Russian control, government officials told NDTV.
India has again abstained from voting at the United Nations General Assembly, where a resolution demanding that Russia stop military operations in Ukraine was passed with 141 votes in favor. There were 35 abstentions and five votes against it.
Around 8,000 Indians, mainly students are still stranded in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said. By arranging special flights from Ukraine’s neighboring countries, like Romania, Hungary, and Poland India has been evacuating Indians from Ukraine as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of trying to ‘erase’ Ukrainians, their country, and their history. More than 836,000 people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion, according to the UN.
As per the Ukrainian emergency service, more than 2,000 civilians have been killed in the Russian attack which has destroyed hospitals, kindergartens, and homes.
At least 498 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine since President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion. Moscow is exploring the possibility of ceasefire talks on Thursday with Kyiv, which says a delegation is “on its way” for the talks at an undisclosed location on the Belarus-Poland border.
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