‘Avoid non-essential travel to, within Ukraine’: Indian embassy in Kyiv releases advisory

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine has issued a warning to Indian citizens on their movement within Ukraine. Several explosions have recently been reported in Kyiv’s city centre, the first attack on the Ukrainian capital since late June. Two days after an attack on a crucial bridge link to Crimea, which Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed on Ukraine’s secret services, explosions were reported in the far western Ukrainian cities of Odesa, Dnipro, and Lviv.

The Embassy asked Indians to stay in touch with the authorities regarding their status of presence in Ukraine in its advisory, which was issued with the recent bombing incidents in mind.

A day after Moscow accused Kyiv of being responsible for an explosion on a bridge linking Crimea to Russia, Ukraine’s presidency said on Monday that there had been strikes on “several” locations within the country.

India’s foreign ministry released a statement endorsing a de-escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

“India is deeply concerned at the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, including targeting of infrastructure and the death of civilians,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“We reiterate that escalation of hostilities is in no one’s interest. We urge immediate cessation of hostilities and the urgent return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue. India stands ready to support all such efforts aimed at de-escalation,” it said.(WION)