Situation Highly Tense, Face It With Calm And Fortitude: Indian Envoy To Ukraine

The envoy said the situation is highly tense and very uncertain, adding it is causing a lot of anxiety.

Russian forces launched a major military assault on Ukraine on Thursday (AP)

New Delhi: Indian envoy to Ukraine, Partha Satpathy, has requested Indian nationals to stay calm and face the present situation with fortitude as Russia announced a military operation in the east European country.

“I would request everyone to stay calm and face situation with fortitude,” PTI quoted the envoy as saying.

The envoy said the situation is highly tense and very uncertain, adding it is causing a lot of anxiety.

"I am reaching out to you from Kyiv. Today early morning, we all woke up with the news that Ukraine is under attack. The situation is highly tense and very uncertain and this of course is causing a lot of anxiety,” Satpathy said.

"The air space is closed, railway schedules are in flux and roads are crammed. I would request everyone to stay calm and face the situation with fortitude,” he added.

The ambassador said the Indian embassy continues to remain open and operate in Kyiv.

Earlier in the day, the embassy put out two advisories on the situation arising out of Russia's attack on Ukraine.

“I urge you to please stay wherever you are, in your familiar locations. Those who are in transit, please return to your familiar places of habitation,” Satpathy said.

“Those who are stranded here in Kyiv, please get in touch with your friends and colleagues in Kyiv, universities and other community members, so that you can temporarily lodge there,” he added.

The envoy further said the embassy has already reached out to the Indian diaspora in Ukraine and requested them to assist the Indians to the "best of their abilities".

“I am inundated with calls, so is the embassy and we are doing our best to help. If there is a critical emergency, contact us on the emergency lines provided,” Satpathy said.

“We reached out to Indian diaspora and requested them to assist Indians in Ukraine,” he added.

The envoy said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the embassy are working on a “mission mode” to find a “solution to this difficult situation”.

Around 20,000 Indians, mostly students, are currently in Ukraine.

He said the Indian embassy in Kyiv continues to remain open and operate.

The embassy on Thursday put out two advisories on the situation arising out of Russia's attack on Ukraine.

"I urge you to please stay wherever you are, in your familiar locations. Those who are in transit, please return to your familiar places of habitation," he said.

"Those who are stranded here in Kyiv, please get in touch with your friends and colleagues in Kyiv, universities and other community members, so that you can temporarily lodge there," Satpathy said.

He said the embassy has already reached out to the Indian diaspora in Ukraine and requested them to assist the Indians to the "best of their abilities".

"I am inundated with calls, so is the embassy and we are doing our best to help. If there is a critical emergency, contact us on the emergency lines provided," Satpathy said.

The ambassador also asked Indians to follow the embassy's social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) for any updates that it will be putting out.

Amid Russian “military operations” in Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has convened a meeting of NATO ambassadors today to discuss the consequences of the attack.

The meeting will address the situation in Ukraine and the consequences of Russia's unprovoked attack, said the NATO chief.

Earlier today, Stoltenberg condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision of military aggression in Ukraine. 

"Despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the path of aggression," Stoltenberg was quoted as saying by news agency Associated Press (AP).

Earlier today, Russia claimed to destroy Ukrainian airbases and air defences at several places including Kharkiv and Ivano-Frankivsk in western Ukraine.

"The military infrastructure of Ukrainian military air bases has been put out of action," said the Russian Defence Ministry in a statement.

In retaliation, Ukraine also shot down five Russian planes and a Russian helicopter in the Luhansk region bordering Russia, reported news agency Reuters.

However, the Russian Defence Ministry denied the claims made by Ukraine.