Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov on Saturday said it “made sense for India to take advantage” of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia situation and enhance Indian business opportunities when Western partners “refuse to cooperate”.
The envoy further said the Ukraine-Russia conflict “will have consequences for the whole world including Russia-India ties,” adding the extent cannot to ascertained yet. “There may be an impact in terms of transactions, possibility of financial cooperation in connection with sanctions,” he added.
He also commented on India’s request for help in evacuation of its citizens stranded in Ukraine. Alipov said the main focus is on Indians stranded mostly in the north eastern region of Ukraine. “The task now is to provide conditions for safe evacuation of these people through the territory of the Russian Federation. Our special groups that will take Indians to Russian territory are not able to reach them due to fighting in those areas,” he said adding that there is no way to pick them up and they need to meet at places not under attack.
The Russian envoy said, “hundreds of buses are waiting” for the safe evacuation of stranded Indians through the territory of the Russian Federation. “A group of diplomats has been sent to Belgorod from the Indian embassy to deal with this issue on the spot and coordinate actions with the Russian side,” he said.
Russia’s Promise at UNSC to Help Evacuation of Indians
Russia has informed the UN Security Council that Russian buses are ready at crossing points to go to the eastern Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Sumy to evacuate Indian students and other foreign nationals who are stranded there.
The 15-nation Council held an emergency session on Friday, called by Albania, France, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, following Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the biggest in Europe.
During the meeting, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that the Russian military is doing everything to ensure the peaceful evacuation of foreign nationals stranded in Ukraine. He alleged that Ukraine nationalists were keeping over 3,700 Indian citizens by force in Kharkiv and Sumy cities of eastern Ukraine.
“Terrorists do not let civilians leave cities. This impacts not only Ukrainians but foreigners as well. The number of foreign citizens whom Ukrainian nationals are keeping by force is shocking. Kharkiv 3,189 nationals of India, up to 2,700 nationals of Vietnam, 202 nationals of China. Sumy 576 nationals of India, 101 nationals of Ghana, 121 nationals of China, Nebenzia told the Council.
In the Belgorod region of Russia, 130 comfortable buses have been waiting (and standing ready) since 6.00 am today at the crossing points Nekhoteevka’ and Sudja’ ready to go to Kharkiv and Sumy to evacuate the Indian students and other foreign nationals, he said.
The Russian envoy said that the checkpoints are equipped to provide temporary accommodation, space for rest, and hot food. There are also mobile medical stations with a stock of medications. “Everyone evacuated will then be taken to Belgorod, and from there transported to their homeland by air, he said.
India on Saturday said its main focus now is on the evacuation of around 700 Indian students stranded in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy which has been witnessing bombings and airstrikes.
(With inputs from PTI)
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