Ukraine suffering civilian casualties, says envoy to India

Dr Igor Polikha, Ambassador of Ukraine to India, on Monday denied the charges of racial discrimination and defended the charges of alleged assault of Indian students trying to flee Ukraine at Ukraninan borders. On Sunday evening, there were several complaints and videos that went viral about Indian students trying to flee Ukraine after being been ill-treated, assaulted, heckled at the borders.

The Daily Guardian asked the Ukranian envoy to India about the same to which he responded, urging to top spreading panic and sensation, “Me and my people… are in regular contact with our border guards and their commanders. Some incidents happened to ensure discipline in queues, everyone was asked to wait in queue but some tried to break the queue and go on their own. Please be in line, maintain discipline, situation is difficult but in control… some incidents have happened where people are trying to break the queues and discipline so any person is requested to maintain discipline be it any nationality people. Please tell ur citizens to not to panic not to go out of turn.”

Emphasizing on need of discipline, Polikha also said that “some issues bound to happen as several foreigners in lakhs are trying to flee but everyone is equally treated.” Polikha further said that the number of Ukrainian refugees has exceeded four lakhs. “If the war is not stopped, the number can reach up to 7 million. There are very long queues on the border. Lakhs of Ukrainians are standing in queues, trying to cross the border,” he said. Asked about assurance of safety of Indians repeatedly, Polikha also got infuriated and said, “Assurance should be given by Putin to Indian students. It’s a war… It’s a huge humanitarian tragedy.”