: Modi speaks to Putin: Russia working on providing safe passage to Indians from conflict zones in Ukraine #IndiaNEWS #National New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir

Modi speaks to Putin: Russia working on providing safe passage to Indians from conflict zones in Ukraine #IndiaNEWS #National
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday and discussed the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from the conflict areas in Ukraine.
An official statement said the two leaders reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in Kharkiv city where many Indian students are stuck.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on phone today with Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation. The leaders reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in the city of Kharkiv where many Indian students are stuck, the statement said.
They discussed the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from the conflict areas, it added.
Russia on Wednesday said it is working intensely to create a humanitarian corridor for safe passage to Russian territory of Indian nationals stuck in Kharkiv, Sumy and other conflict zones in Ukraine following a request from India.
At a media briefing, Russian Ambassador-designate Denis Alipov said Russia is in touch with India on the issue of the safety of the stranded Indians in Ukraine and that the safe passage will be put into place soon.
He also said that there will be no impact on Russias supply of S-400 missile systems to India in view of increasing Western sanctions on Moscow following the crisis in Ukraine, noting that there is a mechanism to deal with the punitive measures.
Alipov said Russia was grateful to India for its balanced position on the situation in Ukraine and hoped that it will continue to demonstrate such an approach.
We have received the Indian request for the emergency evacuation of all those stuck in the conflict zones to the Russian territory and we are now actively working on the ways and means to launch an operation to provide the humanitarian corridors so that people have the secure passage to the Russian territory, he said.
His comments came amid increasing concern in India about the safety of its nationals in Kharkiv and many other Ukrainian cities witnessing intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
We are working intensely to create the corridors and securing a safe passage for the Indian nationals who are stuck in those areas so that they can be taken safely from areas where combat actions are going on to the Russian territory, Alipov said.
Asked how long the military campaign in Ukraine will continue, he described the situation in Ukraine as a tragedy for Russia as well as for Ukraine.
We want to stop the military actions as soon as possible. We want peace to be reached as soon as possible, he said.
Asked when the humanitarian corridors: will be activated, Alipov said he hoped they would be in place as soon as possible.
The Russian diplomat also said Russia is grateful to India for its balanced position on the situation in Ukraine.