Ukraine-Russia conflict: Families of Indian Embassy officials in Ukraine asked to return to country

New Delhi: Families of Indian Embassy officials in Ukraine have been asked to return to India as the situation remains precarious in the Soviet nation with the threat of a Russian invasion looming large. The development shows that New Delhi is worried about the situation on the ground. While Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for an immediate ceasefire, concerns are increasing with deteriorating situation in the Eastern part of the country bordering Russia.

India has around 20,000 nationals in the country, most of them students pursuing medicine. The Indian mission in the capital Kyiv has issued a number of advisories for its nationals, the latest one just on Sunday. "In view of the continued high level of tensions and uncertainties with respect of the situation in Ukraine", a Sunday advisory said, "all Indian nationals whose stay is not deemed essential and all Indian students, are advised to leave Ukraine temporarily".

New Delhi has several times said that the "well-being" of its nationals is a priority. Last week, while speaking at the United Nations Security Council meeting on the issue, the Indian envoy to United Nations, TS Tirumurti, called for an "immediate de-escalation of tensions" that takes into "account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond."

At the meeting, India backed the implementation of the Minsk pact and talks under the Normandy format. The Indian envoy had said, "We believe that the Minsk Agreements provide a basis for a negotiated and peaceful settlement of the situation in Eastern Ukraine," and he urged all "parties to continue to engage through all possible diplomatic channels and keep working towards the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements."

Minsk pact which includes Russia, Ukraine, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a 2014-2015 agreement that calls for a ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine regions of Donetsk, Luhansk and others among other things. The Normandy format of talks includes Germany, France and members of the Minsk pact and basically focuses on the pact's implementation.

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