NEW DELHI, March 2: Russia is working on making a “humanitarian corridor” for safe passage of Indians stranded in war-torn Ukraine through the Russian-Ukrainian border, the new Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov said on Wednesday, a day after an Indian medical student was killed in Russian shelling at Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city after the capital of Kyiv.
Alipov, who arrived in Delhi a couple of days ago, is the ambassador-designate and has not yet presented his credential to the Indian President. But, in his first briefing on Wednesday in the wake of the crisis, the Russian envoy said Russia is launching a “humanitarian corridor” through Russian territory so that Indians have a secure passage and can be evacuated from the conflict zone.
This follows New Delhi conveying its concerns to both Russian and Ukrainian authorities about Indians stuck in the conflict zone. According to estimates, about 4,000 Indians—mostly students in medical colleges—are stuck in the eastern and north-eastern parts of Ukraine, close to the Russian border.
To convey India’s concern, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had called the ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday to reiterate the demand for urgent safe passage of Indian nationals still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones. Similar action was undertaken by Indian ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine.
“We have reiterated our demand not just in Delhi but also in Moscow and Kyiv to diplomatic and military authorities of both countries,” Shringla said. Sources said the “deteriorating situation in Kharkiv is a matter of grave concern” and “the safety and security of Indian nationals in that city is of utmost priority” for the government.
“We had already taken up with the Russian and Ukrainian embassies the pressing requirement of safe passage for Indian nationals, including students, from Kharkiv and other cities in conflict zones. This demand has been repeatedly made of Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of this conflict on February 24. It has been conveyed to both their ambassadors in New Delhi as well as taken up in their capitals,” a source said.
“From the Indian side, preparations for evacuation have been in place for some time now. An Indian team has been positioned in the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the Ukrainian border. However, the conflict situation in and around Kharkiv and nearby cities has been an obstacle,” the source added.
Kharkiv is about 40 km from the Ukraine-Russia border. Therefore, sources said, “it is imperative that Russia and Ukraine respond to our need for safe passage urgently”.
Six days into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, India’s worst fears came true when the 20-year-old Indian student Naveen S G, a fourth-year MBBS student at Kharkiv National Medical University, who hailed from Chalageri village in Karnataka’s Haveri district, was killed in Russian shelling.
India on Wednesday also sent out an urgent appeal to all its nationals in Kharkiv to leave immediately for their safety, as Russian action intensified in Ukraine’s second largest city. In back-to-back tweets in all caps, the Indian Embassy — which had to stop operations in Ukrainian capital Kyiv yesterday — said Indians should reach Pisochyn, Babai and Bezlyudivka latest by 6 pm local time (9.30 pm IST), on foot if need be.
URGENT ADVISORY TO ALL INDIAN NATIONALS IN KHARKIV.
FOR THEIR SAFETY AND SECURITY THEY MUST LEAVE KHARKIV IMMEDIATELY.
PROCEED TO PESOCHIN, BABAYE AND BEZLYUDOVKA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES THEY MUST REACH THESE SETTLEMENTS *BY 1800 HRS (UKRAINIAN TIME) TODAY*.
— India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine)
A second advisory underscored the urgency, saying “for their own safety and security they must leave Kharkiv immediately repeat immediately in the light of the deteriorating situation”.
“Those students who cannot find vehicles or buses and are in railway station can proceed on foot to Pisochyn (11 km), Babai (12 km) and Bezlyudivka (16 km),” it added.
The advisory comes amid a huge shortage of public transport in the war-torn city, which has a population of 1.4 million. Road transport has not been available in the city over the last few days. Taking a train is also not easy, students stranded at the Kharkiv station have said.
Earlier today, some of the students at the station sent videos saying that they were being stopped from boarding trains. Those who managed to get in were asked to de-board. Videos from the station showed huge crowds waiting on platforms.
“We took a lot of risk to reach here and 1,000 plus Indians are stuck in the railway station. We are waiting for the trains. They (Ukrainian guards) are firing, they are kicking us. They are not letting us enter. I heard the gunfire myself. I want to tell the Indian government, if something happens to us here, please take care of our family,” he said.
A student said shelling is on as they wait and there are no bunkers nearby. “It’s full open. We had a train in front of us but they are not allowing. One or two gates opened for Ukrainian people. Just for them. And for us there are guns, bullets but no trains.” Located in the eastern part of the city close to the Russian border, Kharkiv has been facing intense attack since the invasion started.
(Manas Dasgupta)