India abstains from UNGA resolution 'deploring' Russian invasion of Ukraine

India's permanent representative to the UN TS Tirumurti at the UN General Assembly reiterated India's demand of safe and uninterrupted passage for all Indian nationals including students, particularly from Kharkiv and other conflict zones

India on Wednesday abstained from voting on resolution against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations General Assembly. “India is deeply concerned about deteriorating situation in Ukraine. An Indian national was killed in Kharkiv yesterday. We express our deepest condolences to his family & to every civilian who has lost his/her life in this conflict,” TS Tirumurti, India's permanent representative to the United Nations, said. 

Permanent Representative and Ambassador of India to United Nations TS Tirumurti.(ANI)

“We demand safe & uninterrupted passage for all Indian nationals including our students, particularly from Kharkiv and other conflict zones. My government has deployed senior ministers to neighbouring countries of Ukraine to facilitate evacuation,” he added. 

Read: Her passport stolen in Kyiv, this Indian medical student got help from PMO

Kharkiv, the second largest city of Ukraine, has been the epicentre of fighting between the Russian and Ukrainian forces. According to government estimates, at least 4,000 Indian nationals are stranded in Kharkiv and other eastern Ukrainian cities. 

Read: UNGA votes for Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine, ceasefire talks likely tomorrow

Prime Minister Modi also spoke to Russian president Vladimir Putin over phone to discuss the evacuation of Indian students from Kharkiv. 

We thank all neighbouring countries of Ukraine for opening their border and extending all facilities to our Embassies at this time, the Indian envoy to UN added. 

 

India has been carrying out evacuations via neighbouring countries like Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia which share borders with Ukraine. 

Earlier, India on February 26 had abstained from a United Nations Security Council resolution deploring Russian attack on Kyiv, while asserting the need for respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and adopting the path of diplomacy.