Ukraine-Russia conflict shows conventional war could happen: Gen MM Naravane

New Delhi, Mar 8: The ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia shows that a conventional war could happen, Indian Army Chief Gen M M Naravane said on Tuesday.

Responding to a question on the sidelines of an event, he highlighted that the war between the two countries was being fought in a physical domain. Is the war being fought in cyberspace or through air-conditioned chambers? he rhetorically asked, adding that this war shows that a "conventional war could happen".

On asking the lesson from the Russia-Ukraine war, he said, "The war we seeing, is being fought physically on the ground," the Army chief stated. "So, a conventional war could happen. And, we have to be operationally ready,"

Russia started a "military operation" against Ukraine on February 24. According to United Nation's estimate, 1.5 million refugees have sought shelter in neighbouring countries of Ukraine over the last 11 days.

Meanwhile, all Indian students stranded in the war-torn Ukrainian city of Sumy have been moved out and flights under Operation Ganga are being prepared to bring them back home, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Indian students moved out of Sumy were being taken to Poltava, from where they will board trains to western Ukraine. Poltava is at a distance of about 175 km from Sumy.

"Happy to inform that we have been able to move out all Indian students from Sumy. They are currently en route to Poltava, from where they will board trains to western Ukraine," Bagchi tweeted.

Sumy has been witnessing intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops for days now. India had been making efforts to evacuate its citizens from the northeastern Ukrainian city, but was facing the challenge of heavy shelling and air strikes. India has brought back over 17,100 of its nationals from Ukraine so far. PTI