New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday informed that an Indian student died in the shelling in Ukraine’s Kharkiv city this morning, amid attacks from the Russian forces.
Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson of the ministry took to Twitter to share the sad news, and added that the ministry is in touch with the family members of the student.
“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,” Bagchi tweeted.
He added that the Foreign Secretary is “calling in Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine” and reiterating the demand for “urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities” in other conflict zones.
The student was a native of Chalageri in Karnataka’s Haveri district, a state government official 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.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, videos showed extensive damage from the Russian military assault. One video showed the city’s largest government building blown up.
This morning, the Indian Embassy urged all citizens, including students, to leave Ukraine capital Kyiv “urgently today, by trains or any other means available”.
Around 16,000 Indian students are still stranded in Ukraine. Many students have shared photos and videos on social media from underground bunkers, metro stations and bomb shelters, where they have been hiding since the Russian attack started last Thursday. Around 8,000 Indian nationals have left by various special flights.
Several Indian students remain stuck in eastern parts of Ukraine, which is most affected by the Russian military offensive, and they are finding it difficult to travel by road to reach the western borders. Students have also been walking to the borders in sub-zero conditions, hoping to cross over and take a flight home.
More than 70 Ukrainian servicemen were killed by a Russian rocket attack and dozens of civilians have died in “barbaric” shelling, Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday, as a huge Russian military convoy approached the capital Kyiv.