India said on Tuesday that a team of officials deployed to the Russian city of Belgorod is unable to assist imprisoned Indians in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Belgorod is 40 kilometers from Kharkiv, which is being bombarded heavily by Russian forces as an “obstruction” before the much-needed evacuation.
The declaration occurred six days after President Vladimir Putin ordered a “special military campaign” against Ukraine, according to knowledgeable sources. The leaders’ presence in Belgorod is supposed to improve coordination among the city’s trapped students and professionals, as well as Indian and Russian authorities.
It is claimed that many alternatives for transporting the besieged Indians from the Kharkiv combat zone are being studied.
Indian officials in Belgorod waiting for a pause in Kharkiv War
An official had previously stated that India was in negotiations with both Ukraine and Russia to facilitate the safe passage of Indian citizens from Kyiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. However, Indian officials in Belgorod have yet to discover a window to evacuate their citizens, as Russia continues to pound the city, which is a top target for Moscow’s military. Belgorod, the administrative seat of Belgorod Oblast, is a short distance from Kharkiv. The Indian officials are reportedly waiting for a lull in the fighting to allow for the speedy extraction of as many pupils as possible.
Because they were closer to the international borders, many Indian citizens stationed in western Ukraine were able to hurry to the Polish, Romanian, and Hungarian frontiers. However, a large number of Indian students have been left stranded in the eastern city of Kharkiv, which is known for its medical education. The unfortunate death in the city on Tuesday of an Indian student has also brought attention to the dangerous situation on the ground.
On Tuesday, India dispatched three more aircraft as part of Operation Ganga to assist Indian people stranded in Ukraine’s live war zone. As more Indians succeeded to enter Ukraine’s western border, flights were flown out of Budapest, Hungary, and Bucharest, Romania. According to reliable sources, the current situation in Kharkiv is dire, with Indian nationals surviving on inadequate food and water.
The biggest difficulty in removing students from Ukraine is that, due to conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces, Indian nationals are on their own as long as they are inside the country. Once they cross into neighboring nations, Indian officials may be able to assist them. MEA has assigned extra officials to the assignment in the neighboring countries, notably Russia. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s foreign secretary, summoned Russian ambassador-designate Denis Alipov on Tuesday and reaffirmed India’s desire for safe passage for Indian nationals in Ukraine.
The Hindu previously reported that the Indian Embassy had written to Ukraine-based students and professionals weeks before to offer coordinates and contact information in order to guarantee a smooth evacuation. The eruption of unrest on February 24, however, appears to have given the plan a shock. “Apart from Russian and Ukrainian soldiers, a big number of civilians are dying,” Ukraine’s ambassador Igor Polikha said, reiterating his country’s appeal for an end to Russian attacks.