Russia-Ukraine war: Indian student killed in Kharkiv shelling

 

An Indian student was killed in shelling in Ukraine's Kharkiv region this morning, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday

“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.”

Further, Bagchi wrote: "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."

Reacting to the news, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "This is an awful tragedy. My heart goes out to the family of the victim and the anxious families of all those still stuck in Ukraine. We must do everything possible to get them home."

Incidentally, this is the first time since Adolf Hitler initiated World War II, that the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Kyiv have been bombed.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pressed the Indian Air Force into service to evacuate Indian nationals stranded in the war-torn country, sources said.

On Monday, the Centre decided to send four Union ministers to Ukraine's neighbouring countries to personally oversee and coordinate the evacuation exercise.

The Indian government launched Operation Ganga to rescue Indian citizens, mostly students, from Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia six days ago. So far, 1,396 Indian nationals have been brought back from Ukraine in six evacuation flights.

On the other hand, Russian forces are closing in on the capital Kyiv in a 40-mile convoy of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles, as Ukraine-Russia talks aimed at stopping the fighting yielded only an agreement to keep talking.

Russian and Ukrainian troops continued to engage in fighting in Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv on the sixth day since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion.