Attempts to rescue Indians stranded in Ukrainian cities, including Sumi, still fail. Russia declares ceasefire for third time under pressure from India and other countries
Sumi, First Published Mar 7, 2022, 3:57 PM IST
Sumi: The evacuation of Indians stranded in the Ukrainian city of Sumi has been stopped. The evacuation was halted following reports of bombings on the way to evacuate Indians. The Indian embassy’s move was to remove students from Sumi as soon as possible after the Russian military declared a ceasefire. The embassy intervened to bring the buses to Sumi and while the students were boarding the buses, the embassy instructed the on-site student agents to immediately stop the rescue mission.
It was decided to get the girls out in the first place. The rescue operation was halted following reports of shelling on the way to the Dutch border, although all the girls boarded buses. All students were asked to return to their bunkers.
Russia has declared a ceasefire in all major Ukrainian cities to help civilians escape. Russian military sources said security corridors would be set up to evacuate people. As the war began, millions of people trapped in various Ukrainian cities watched the announcement with anticipation.
Russia has declared a third ceasefire in response to calls from world leaders, including the French president. However, Ukraine has accused Russia of announcing a humanitarian corridor on its way to Belarus and Russia, and of not declaring a humanitarian corridor to other countries, including Poland.
The Russian military has said it will allow as many civilians as possible to enter and leave the corridors. The ceasefire is in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumi and Mariopol. A Russian military spokesman said there would be a limited ceasefire and that Russia was giving civilians another chance to escape.
Russia has not seen a ceasefire for the past two days. Civilians who believed in the ceasefire and left, including in the city of Irbin, were killed. Russia blames Ukraine for ceasefire failure But Ukraine says Russia’s declaration of a hollow ceasefire.
Indian students, including Sumi, are looking forward to today’s ceasefire announcement. According to unofficial figures from the Central Government, 600 Indian students, including Malayalees, are still trapped in Sumi. These students are instructed to be ready for the journey. If today’s ceasefire is effective, Indian students will be safe. Meanwhile, the influx of refugees, including from Poland, will intensify as millions of Ukrainians trapped in Mariupol move through the corridors.
Indian students and their relatives in India, who have been trapped in Sumi for more than ten days, are looking forward to today’s ceasefire and rescue mission. The Ministry of External Affairs had planned to take Indian embassy buses to Sumi and take the students to the Hungarian border in two stages and to board a special flight to India within the next few hours. Union Minister VK Singh, who is in Poland, told Asianet News that Operation Ganga could be completed within the next two days.
Many of the Indian embassy camps in the border cities were closed as most of the students were rescued. The lives of students in bungalows in cities, including Sumi, are now in dire straits. Many do not even have access to drinking water. Hours of power cuts made life miserable. Many students live for days by drinking ice water. The students told Asianet News that the health of many has deteriorated as a result.
Last Updated Mar 7, 2022, 4:09 PM IST
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