Despite repeated urgings, no safe corridor for students stranded in Ukraine's Sumy: India tells UNSC

 "India has been consistent in calling for an immediate end to all hostilities," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti told the UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

United Nations: India, which has managed to safely bring back over 20,000 of its nationals from Ukraine amid the ongoing war, has said that it is deeply concerned that despite its repeated urgings to both Russia and Ukraine, the safe corridor for Indian students stranded in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy did not materialise. "India has been consistent in calling for an immediate end to all hostilities," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti told the UN Security Council meeting on Monday on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Tirumurti underscored it is important that humanitarian action is always guided by the principles of humanitarian assistance - humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. "These should not be politicised," he said. He said India has reiterated its urgent demand for the safe and uninterrupted passage for all innocent civilians, including Indian nationals remaining in Ukraine.

"We are deeply concerned that despite our repeated urgings to both sides, the safe corridor for our students stranded in Sumy did not materialise," Tirumurti said. Tirumurti said India has managed to facilitate the safe return of over 20,000 Indians from Ukraine. "We have also assisted nationals from other countries, who approached us, in their return to their respective countries. And we will remain open to doing so in the coming days."

The Indian envoy told the Council that more than 80 evacuation flights have been crisscrossing the skies to bring the Indian nationals home. "We are appreciative of the assistance rendered by the authorities of Ukraine and its neighbouring countries in facilitating their return." Around 700 Indian students are stranded in Sumy, which has been witnessing intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops for days now.

India has been making efforts to evacuate its citizens from the city but with little success due to heavy shelling and air strikes. To evacuate its citizens from war-hit Ukraine, the Indian government has launched 'Operation Ganga' under which thousands of stranded people, mostly students, have been evacuated from nations bordering Ukraine's western frontiers.