Indian national killed in Ukraine's Kharkiv: Official

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - India said Tuesday that one of its students was killed in Ukraine as Moscow’s war on Ukraine entered a sixth day.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Arindam Bagchi said the student was killed in shelling in Kharkiv early Tuesday.

He said the Ministry is in touch with the student’s family and noted in a statement that the foreign secretary "is calling on Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones."

"Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine," he added.

India launched an evacuation operation to return nationals from Ukraine. According to Indian government estimates, 9,000 have left Ukraine since advisories were issued and an equal number is believed to be still in Ukraine.

India, which is now conducting evacuating flights through the neighboring countries, is also sending senior ministers as "special Envoys to various nations that will energize the evacuation efforts."

Several flights have arrived in India bringing back students from the war-hit country.

India also announced humanitarian aid to Ukraine, with the government saying Monday the first consignment of relief supplies would be dispatched Tuesday.

Amid the evacuation process, a number of videos have appeared on social media showing Indian students asking the government to conduct immediate evacuation operations.

The Russia-Ukraine war has faced outrage from the international community with the EU, UK and US implementing a range of economic sanctions against Russia.

At least 136 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed and 400 others, including 26 children, have been injured in Ukraine, according to UN figures.

Around 660,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, said the UN Refugee Agency.