Russia-Ukraine crisis: Safety of stranded Indian nationals topmost priority, says govt

New Delhi, Feb 24: Amid rising tensions in Ukraine after Russian troops waged war early on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that the topmost priority of the government is the safety and security of Indian nationals including students in Ukraine. He is also scheduled to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly.

Speaking at a press briefing in New Delhi, Shringla informed that at the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, PM Modi has stated that the topmost priority of the government is the safety and security of Indian nationals including students in Ukraine.

Shringla also added that a number of steps have been taken to deal with the emerging situation in Ukraine. "We started the registration of Indian nationals in Ukraine about a month ago. Based on online registration, we found that 20,000 Indian nationals were there."'

"A number of steps have been taken to deal with the emerging situation in Ukraine. We started the registration of Indian nationals in Ukraine about a month ago. Based on online registration, we found that 20,000 Indian nationals were there. Nearly 4,000 Indians have been able to leave Ukraine. Exit for land borders via road and other means being facilitated," said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla during a press briefing on the Ukraine situation.

He also informed that the situation on the ground is difficult and is rapidly evolving adding that 4,000 Indian nationals have already left Ukraine in the past few days. The MEA control room in Delhi has got 980 calls and 850 emails.'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting at his official residence in Delhi to discuss rising tensions in Ukraine due to Russia's military attack.

Several Indian nationals are stranded in crisis-hit Ukraine. According to sources, the Prime Minister is likely to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin tonight.

Besides Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Home minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were seen in a video of the meeting shared by official sources.

Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri who are not part of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) were in the meeting. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and P K Mishra, the principal secretary to the prime minister, also attended the meeting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who cast aside international condemnation and sanctions and announced the launch of the military offensive against Ukraine on Thursday, also warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to consequences they had "never seen".