WATCH: Russian MLA And US Official Debate Ukraine Conflict On ABP’s India Chahta Hai Show

"Indians don't have to worry over security," Singh said, adding that Russian soldiers have been specifically instructed not to harm any civilians.

New Delhi: Amid the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the United Russia party's Indian-origin MLA Abhay Singh Monday sought to allay fears of nuclear war as he told ABP News that "nuclear power can only be used in case of retaliation".

"Indians don't have to worry about security," Singh said, adding that Russian soldiers have been specifically instructed not to harm any civilians.

Appearing on ABP News show India Chahta Hai, Singh took on US's Hindi and Urdu Language spokesperson Zed Tarar who condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Talking about the nuclear threat, he said: "...we are giving this more attention. A nuclear threat is an important issue, but the main question here is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and how we can provide help to the Ukrainian people."

Asked about the recent announcement by the United States to release $300 million in support of Ukraine's security and defence, and how this fund will be able to stop the ongoing conflict, Tarar said: "We are hoping that the war will not continue ahead. However, in the present times, we need to accept that the decision to stop the war lies with Russian President Vladimir Putin."

However, Singh clarified: "Russia launched an attack on Ukraine as the people of the country were wrongfully influenced by the western countries." He indicated that the US is approaching the borders of Russia through Ukraine, and this was the reason Russia had to invade its neighbouring country whose people share the same origins.

Responding to this claim, Tarar said: "We don't believe anything that comes from Moscow. Their misinformation campaign is famous across the world."

He added that Russian President Putin himself had said earlier that the presence of Ukraine is absolutely illegitimate, and it should not exist. 

Patna-born Singh is an MLA from Russia’s Kursk city. He reportedly went to the country around 30 years ago and stayed on, before joining politics and contesting elections in 2018.

According to the US Department of State website, Zed Tarar is Deputy Director at the London Media Hub where he manages the department’s media engagement throughout South Asia. He regularly appears on South Asian media as the Hub’s Urdu and Hindi-language spokesperson.