India urges its citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible

Advisory comes after Putin imposes martial law in four Ukrainian regions

India has issued an advisory urging its citizens to leave Ukraine at the earliest due to the “deteriorating security situation” of the European country amid the nearly eight-month-long war.

“Indian citizens, including students, currently in Ukraine are advised to leave Ukraine at the earliest by available means,” the Indian embassy in Ukraine said in a statement on Wednesday.

India has also advised its citizens against travelling to the war-torn country, citing an escalation of hostilities as Kyiv counterattacks Russian forces in response to Moscow’s “kamikaze” drone strikes.

The advisory comes after president Vladimir Putin imposed martial law in four Ukrainian regions – Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk – that Russia claims to have annexed.

This was India’s second notification on Ukraine in 10 days amid Russia’s incessant bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including capital Kyiv. In the new phase of Russia’s war, Moscow has been raining drones on Ukrainian cities, destroying power stations, waterworks and other key infrastructure.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces have destroyed nearly 30 per cent of the country’s power stations in a week, while energy officials claimed about 40 per cent of the electric power system remains severely damaged.

“India is deeply concerned at the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, including targeting of infrastructures and death of civilians,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“We urge immediate cessation of hostilities and the urgent return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue.”

Following Mr Putin’s unprovoked invasion on 24 February, New Delhi carried out “Operation Ganga” to evacuate nearly 20,000 citizens from Ukraine during the early days of the war.

Meanwhile, thousands of civilians and Russian-appointed officials fled the Kherson region ahead of a potential counter-strike by Ukrainian forces.

People were seen fleeing by boats after Moscow-installed officials told them it was not safe and said they were relocating their own staff before the area became a combat zone.

Mr Zelensky, in a nighttime address on Wednesday, warned that Russia’s military will try to recruit locals in more occupied Ukrainian territories in the coming days.

“In the near future, the occupiers will try to recruit men into their army. Everywhere is the same as in Donetsk and Luhansk,” Mr Zelensky said.