News Analysis India

Tag: Russian invasion

  • Actor Sean Penn plans to help Ukrainian refugees through his charity

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Award winning-actor Sean Penn has been filming a documentary about the Russian invasion of the country, and he’s now struck a deal with Mayor of Krakow Jacek Majchrowski to supply aid to Ukrainian refugees through his charity.After signing the agreement, Penn said during a Q and A: “We intend to stay the course. “This is one of the most heartbreaking moments in most of our lifetimes for the world at large and it is a crisis at large.” Penn previously spent time at the Ukrainian border and witnessed the scale of the refugee crisis for himself, reports femalefirst.co.uk.Following a brief return home to Los Angeles, he’s now back in Poland and determined to offer as much help and support as possible.Discussing his efforts to help the people of Ukraine, the actor said: “I’m going to do everything I can do. Whether is me being here, or coming back many times, or just coming back to shake the hands of the people who are doing the work.” “They can count on me as I count on them.”Earlier this month, Penn confessed to being startled by what he witnessed on the border between Poland and Ukraine.The Oscar-winning actor shared: “We had the luxury of being able to abandon a rented vehicle on the side of the road. This was a startling thing to me; it was mostly women and children, some in groups and some just a mother and her child, in almost all of those cars.”In some cases, the father was dropping them off and returning, because we know that from 18 to 60, men are not to leave, they’re to stay in the resistance against Russia.”

  • Britain urges India to pressure Russia to stop Ukraine war

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Deputy PM of the United Kingdom, Dominic Raab, has urged India and China to increase diplomatic pressure on Russia to stop the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

    “China has got a job here. They’ve got to step up as well – this is a permanent member of the (UN) Security Council, and India as well. We need to expand the diplomatic pressure,” Raab said while speaking to the British media.

    Both India and China have refrained from condemning Russia and both have close ties. Raab hope that both India and China could leverage their close ties with Russia to pressurise Putin to end the conflict.

    ALSO READ | PM Modi speaks to Putin; seeks safe evacuation of Indians from Ukraine’s Sumy at earliest

    Raab also labelled Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons as rhetoric and brinkmanship. Meanwhile, Britain will seek to speed up its sanctions process via new legislation designed to allow ministers to tighten restrictions on Russian businesses and wealthy individuals.

    The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill is being pushed through Parliament next week as Britain tries to punish those with links to President Putin, in response to his invasion of Ukraine.

    “Punishing sanctions are meaningless until properly implemented and these changes will allow us to pursue Putin’s allies in the UK with the full backing of the law, beyond doubt or legal challenge,” UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

  • Ukraine war: MEA says 13 flights will bring home 2,200 Indians on Sunday

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Thirteen flights with more than 2,200 Indian evacuees will operate from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries to India on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

    “During the next 24 hours, we have close to 13 flights scheduled to bring back Indians who have crossed the Ukrainian border on the Western side,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

    There are close to 300 students in the safe zone of Pesochin and all of them would be transported to the border by Saturday. There are no Indians left in Kharkiv and the only area of concern is Sumy where nearly 700 Indian students have been stranded.

    Sumy is just about 60 km away from the Russian border but since there is constant shelling, it isn’t safe for students to step out.

    ALSO READ | ‘We will leave no stone unturned for safe evacuation of students’: Indian envoy to Ukraine

    “The students are largely concentrated in two camps which is safe for them. They did face some shortage of water and electricity outages yesterday, but all that has been restored now. We are trying all options to get them out with safety and they continue to be our primary area of concern,” Bagchi said.

    Around 17,333 Indians have returned to India from Ukraine since the first advisory was issued by the Indian embassy in Kyiv.

    Out of these 13,330 have returned through the 63 evacuation flights that have been arranged by the Indian government. Around 4,000 Indians had returned prior to the outbreak of the conflict.

    India has been pressing for a ceasefire from both Russia and Ukraine, and till that actually happens it would not be safe to evacuate the students who are stranded there.

    According to some estimates, there aren’t more than 1000 Indians left in Ukraine now. Most of those who have crossed the border would return to India by Sunday. 

  • 7 flights to land in India carrying stranded Indians from Ukraine on Wednesday

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: As many as seven flights will land in Delhi on Wednesday carrying stranded Indians from Ukraine under Operation Ganga, the government sources told ANI on Tuesday.

    A total of nine flights have already brought back stranded Indian nationals from Ukraine.

    The sources told ANI that the first flight of Indigo Airlines is taking off from Hungary’s capital Budapest on Tuesday evening and will land at Delhi Airport at 7:20 am on Wednesday. The Indigo flight has the capacity to carry 216 passengers.

    According to sources, flights will take off throughout the day from Budapest, Rzeszow, and Bucharest and will be landing at Delhi Airport by late evening on Wednesday.

    The union government has deployed around 20 flights from Air India, Air India Express, Indigo, and Spice Jet. Apart from these airlines, the Airforce has also been asked to evacuate Indians from the neighbouring countries of Ukraine.

    Air India flights have the capacity of carrying 250 passengers, Air India Express flights 180, while IndiGo planes can carry 216 passengers on board.

    ALSO READ | Indian student from Haveri district in Karnataka killed in shelling in Ukraine’s Kharkiv

    Meanwhile, at a high-level meeting on Monday evening over the Ukraine crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the entire government machinery is working round the clock to ensure that all Indians there are safe and secure, informed Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

    This was the second high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister during the day over the prevailing situation in Ukraine.

    Government sources on Monday said that the ‘Special Envoys’ including Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju, and Gen (Retd) VK Singh will travel to neighbouring countries of Ukraine to coordinate evacuations of stranded Indians amid ongoing Russian military operations.

    On February 24, the Prime Minister chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting in New Delhi on the Ukraine crisis.

    The union government has launched “Operation Ganga” to bring back stranded students and Indian citizens from the conflict-torn Ukraine. Special flights are being operated by Air India under “Operation Ganga”.

    External Affairs Ministry on Monday informed that over 8,000 Indian nationals have left Ukraine since the initial advisories were issued by the country. The Ministry also said that the six evacuation flight have landed in India bringing back around 1,400 citizens. 

  • Problems, disagreements best resolved through dialogue: Dalai Lama on Ukraine crisis

    By PTI

    DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Monday expressed anguish over the Ukraine crisis, and said that problems and disagreements are best resolved through dialogue.

    War is outdated and non-violence is the only way, the Nobel peace prize winner said on the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

    In a statement issued here, he said, “I have been deeply saddened by the conflict in Ukraine. Our world has become so interdependent that violent conflict between two countries inevitably impacts the rest of the word. War is outdated, non-violence is the only way. We need to develop a sense of the oneness of humanity by considering other human beings as brothers and sisters. This is how we will build a more peaceful world.”

    “Problems and disagreements are best resolved through dialogue. Genuine peace comes about through mutual understanding and respect for each other’s wellbeing,” the Dalai Lama said.

    Hoping that peace is swiftly restored in Ukraine, he said, “We must not lose hope. The 20th century was a century of war and bloodshed. The 21st century must be a century of dialogue.”

  • Embattled and under siege, Ukraine fights back bravely

    By Express News Service

    Russian troops continued to advance through major Ukrainian cities for the third day running on Saturday but capital Kyiv hasn’t fallen yet. A defiant president Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed his forces have ‘derailed’ Russia’s invasion plan, adding that the real fight is still unfolding. 

    Russia’s fight for Kyiv is likely to be protracted with Ukraine set to get emergency supplies of arms and ammunition from allies. On Saturday, the Czech Republic said it will donate machine guns, assault and sniper rifles, pistols and ammunition valued at 7.6 million euros ($8.6 million). Czech defence minister Jana Cernochova said the consignment would comprise 30,000 pistols, 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns, several dozen sniper guns and a million cartridges. 

    Explosions were heard in and around Kyiv on Saturday as residents of the city braced to spend a second night in bomb shelters and underground metro stations. In a video message posted on Saturday, Zelenskyy accused Russia of hitting infrastructure and civilian targets. Moscow maintained that it was only hitting military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighborhoods have been hit ever since the invasion began on Thursday, accompanied by air and missile strikes. 

    According to Ukraine’s health minister, 198 people, including three children, have been killed and more than 1,000 others have been wounded. It is, however, unclear if the figure includes both military and civilian casualties.

    Associated Press reported that a Russian missile struck a high-rise in the southwestern outskirts near one of Kyiv’s two passenger airports, leaving a hole of ravaged apartments over several floors. A rescue worker said six civilians were injured.

    The conflict has driven thousands of Ukrainians from their homes in search of safety. According to UN officials, more than 120,000 Ukrainians have left the country for Poland, Moldova and other neighbouring nations.

    Russia started its militray action against Ukraine after massing up to two lakh troops along the country’s borders. In a televised address last week, he claimed the West failed to take seriously Russia’s security concerns about NATO, the Western military alliance that Ukraine aspires to join.

    Make in India, don’t go abroad

    Noting that Indian students have been going to other countries for medical education, PM Narendra Modi has urged the private sector to help set up medical colleges so that students don’t go abroad.

    The ‘Tank Man’ of Ukraine

    A video has gone viral. It shows a man standing in front of a column of Russian tanks in order to block their path, most possibly in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. It reminded viewers of the famous photo from China’s Tiananmen Square, where a person had stood before tanks deployed to quell a protest in 1989.

    Not going down without a fight

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been putting up a brave front. He has turned down an offer from the US to evacuate. “The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride,” he said, according to a report. 

  • India, UAE, China give EOVs, Russia clears its stand on Ukraine in UNSC

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: History will judge us for our actions -or lack thereof.

    Shortly after US Representative to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield uttered these words Russia vetoed a United Nation’s Security Council (UNSC) resolution, earlier on Saturday, which deplored their military action in Ukraine. The motion co-written by US and Albania was supported by 11 of the 15 members, whilst India, China and UAE abstained.

    Ambassador Greenfield further said, “vote no, or abstain, if you do not upload the Charter and align yourselves with the aggressive and unprovoked actions of Russia. Just as Russia had a choice, so do you.”

    India abstained from voting even though it is viewed as a friend of the US (as a member of Quad and strong mention in the Indo Pacific Strategy document). India has had a long-standing association with Russia too and is dependent on it for military equipment.

    “Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however, daunting that may appear at this moment. It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up, we must return to it. For these reasons, India has chosen to abstain on this resolution,” according India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, TS Tirumurthi, in India’s Explanation of Vote (EOV).

    ALSO READ | China is Russia’s best hope to blunt sanctions, but wary

    India has been in touch with all sides urging parties concerned to return to the negotiating table.

    The UAE in their EOV said, “The serious developments in Ukraine undermine regional and international peace and security. Throughout the crisis, my country has consistently called for de-escalation and dialogue, we have placed great hope in the various diplomatic intitiatives and channels aimed at resolving the crisis. The result of this vote today was a forgone conclusion, but the avenues for dialogue must remain open more urgently than ever before, and we must pursue them together.”

    Interestingly, UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and US Secretary of state Anthony Blinken had a telephonic conversation, a day before the vote, discussing Ukraine. A day prior to that Sheikh Abdullah also emphasised on his countries ties with Russia on phone with this Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

    As China-Russia relations are strong at present, China’s abstaining was a given. “I would like to stress that the issue of Ukraine is not something that only emerged today, nor did the current situation occur suddenly overnight. It is the result of interplay of various factors over a long period of time. China advocates the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. We call on all parties to immediately come back to the track of diplomatic negotiations and political settlement,” said Ambassador Zhang Jun in his EOV.

    However, despite this stance, experts feel this may get altered if sanctions begin to impact them.

    ALSO READ | I need ammunition, not a ride: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declines US offer to evacuate Kyiv

    “China-Russia relations are at the highest level in history, but the two countries are not an alliance,” said Li Xin, an international relations expert at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law.

    Meanwhile, Russia’s Permanent Representative, Vassily Nebenzia, alleged that the draft of the resolution was not balanced as it was not just against Russia but also against Ukraine.

    “In particular they left behind the story how the Maidan Junta that rose to power after the unconstitutional coup d’etat in Kiev in 2014 waged war on people of Eastern Ukraine, airdropping bombs on Donetsk and Lugansk. How can we not mention ghastly crimes committed by Ukrainian Nazis in the course of past eight years or protestors against Maidan who were burnt alive in Odessa?” said Ambassador Nebenzia.

    Russia has alleged that there is a lot of fake news being circulated with misleading images and footage. They have denied attacking any kindergarten, targeting civilians and have refuted the rumour that radiation at Chernobyl is endangering humans.

    “Radiation levels at the Chernobyl NPP are low, there is no threat to population,” says Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi.

    Time will tell, whether the Russian military invasion of Ukraine was a failure of diplomatic efforts or an outcome of rhetoric. The sanctions imposed on Russia will have a cascading effect on many countries. One can only hope that this war comes to an end.

  • Director Sean Penn filming documentary on Russian invasion 

    By Express News Service

    Hollywood star and filmmaker Sean Penn, who is known for his association with anti-war and humanitarian causes, is in Ukraine filming a documentary on the Russian invasion, reports Variety.

    The Oscar winner appeared at a press briefing on Thursday (U.S. Pacific Standard Time) in Kyiv, listening to government officials of Ukraine talking about the ongoing crisis. The documentary is a Vice Studios production in association with Vice World News and Endeavor Content. The actor last visited Ukraine in November 2021 to start the preparations for his documentary by visiting the country’s military installations.

    “Penn has visited the Office of the President and spoken with [Ukrainian] Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, as well as local journalists and members of the Ukrainian military,” Newsweek reported. The Office of the President issued a statement through the Ukrainian embassy praising the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker. The statement’s translation accessed read: “The director specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia’s invasion of our country.”

    The statement added: “Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty. Sean Penn is demonstrating bravery that many others have been lacking, in particular some Western politicians. The more people like that—true friends of Ukraine, who support the fight for freedom—the quicker we can stop this heinous invasion by Russia.”