Ukraine Crisis: Indian student killed in Kharkiv

NEW DELHI: An Indian student was killed in shelling in Kharkiv city of war-hit Ukraine on Tuesday morning, the Ministry of External Affairs said. "With profound sorrow we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning," it tweeted.

With profound sorrow we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning. The Ministry is in touch with his family.

We convey our deepest condolences to the family.

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 1, 2022

The ministry said it is in touch with the family of the student. "We convey our deepest condolences to the family," it said.

"A student Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, a native of Chalageri in Haveri district, died in the shelling," the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority commissioner Dr Manoj Rajan told PTI.

A number of Indians are still stranded in Kharkiv where Russia has launched a major military offensive. The MEA said the foreign secretary is calling in ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate India's demand for "urgent safe passage" to Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and other cities in conflict zones. "Similar action is also being undertaken by our ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine," the MEA said.

The Embassy of India has advised Indian nationals including students stranded in Ukraine to leave Kyiv urgently today. “Advisory to Indians in Kyiv. All Indian nationals including students are advised to leave Kyiv urgently today. Preferably by available trains or through any other means available,” the Indian Embassy tweeted.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Indian Air Force (IAF) to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine due to the Russian military offensive against that country, sources said on Tuesday. The IAF is likely to deploy several C-17 aircraft as part of Operation Ganga from Tuesday, they said, as per PTI report.

Meanwhile, several Indian students stuck in eastern parts of Ukraine, which is largely affected by the Russian military offensive, are facing a grim situation as it is difficult for them to travel by road to reach the western borders and move out of the war-hit country, one of the students returned to India told PTI.