Walk if needed but leave Kharkiv immediately: India tells citizens in all-caps advisory

PTI, Mar 2, 2022, 7:57 PM IST

Amid heavy fighting around Kharkiv, India on Wednesday asked all its citizens stranded in the city to leave immediately for three safe zones that are in the range of up to 16 km from there.

The embassy asked Indians to proceed to Pisochyn (11 km), Babai (12 km) and Bezlyudivka (16 km) even by foot if they cannot find vehicles or buses. The Ministry of External Affairs said the embassy asked Indian nationals to leave Kharkiv immediately on the basis of information from the Russian side.

”For their safety and security, they must leave Kharkiv immediately repeat immediately in the light of the detriorating situation. They should proceed to Pisochyn, Babai and Bezlyudivka as soon as possible for their safety,” the embassy said. The first advisory was put out on Twitter at around 1:40 pm (5 pm IST), while the second one was issued around 2:40 pm (6 pm IST).

”The students who cannot find vehicles or buses and are in railway station can proceed on foot to Pisochyn (11 km), Babai (12 km) and Bezlyudivka (16 km),” the advisory said.

The embassy further said: ”Proceed immediately. Under all circumstances, Indians must reach these settlements by 1800 hours (Ukrainian time) today,” it said.

Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, a fourth-year medical student at the Kharkiv National Medical University, was killed in intense shelling in Kharkiv on Tuesday.