French President Emmanuel Macron believes that "the worst is yet to come" in Ukraine after a telephonic conversation with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday, said an aide to the French leader.
Putin held a 90-minute talk with Macron and according to the aide it appeared he (Putin) is intent on seizing "the whole" of the country, reported the Moscow Times.
Second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine over the crisis in Ukraine began in Belarus on Thursday, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus. Taking to Twitter, Belarus MFA said, "Second round of Russia-Ukraine talks kicks off in Belarus." According to Sputnik, the Ukrainian delegation flew to the meeting point from Poland by helicopter.
Ministry of External Affairs issued an advisory for Indian nationals in Ukraine's Kharkiv, stating that a potentially dangerous situation can be expected. Indian Embassy in Kyiv, in a tweet, urged that all Indian nationals who are in Kharkiv excluding Pesochin should urgently fill up their details in the form which embassy shared on its Twitter handle.
Ukraine, capital city Kyiv on Thursday woke up with an air raid alert. The residents were advised to take shelter in safe houses. Ukraine claimed to have destroyed columns of Russian troops with heavy artillery, inflicting heavy damage.
A large Russian military convoy stretching over 30 km, advancing on Kyiv, was delayed due to staunch Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion, said the latest UK defence intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.
Russian forces struck at residential buildings in central Chernihiv city of Ukraine on Thursday (local time), according to The Kyiv independent, a Ukraine media outlet.
UNESCO demanded that the Russian Federation immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine. Polish nationals said that Poland strongly stands with Ukraine in this time of conflict and they are putting up three flags: Of the European Union, their country Poland, and Ukraine.
Ambassador of France to India, Emmanuel Lenain said that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has no plans to integrate Ukraine into the organization.
India at the 49th United Nations Human Rights Council Session urged for an immediate cessation of violence and an end to hostilities while calling for respect and protection of human rights of people in Ukraine amid the military operation.
"We are greatly concerned over the steadily worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine. We urge immediate cessation of violence and an end to hostilities. No solution can ever arrive at the cost of human lives. Dialogue and Diplomacy are the only solutions for settling differences and disputes," read the Indian Statement.
First four Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft under Operation Ganga evacuated 798 Indian nationals using airspace of Romania, Hungary and Poland and supplied 9.7 tons of relief material.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that a total of 18,000 Indian nationals have left Ukraine since the first travel advisory was issued by the Indian Embassy in Kyiv.
As many as 18 flights are scheduled for the next 24 hours including three IAF C-17 and other commercials flights like Air India, Indigo, Spice jet, Go first and Go Air, said MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, speaking at the special briefing on Operation Ganga, to bring back Indian citizens from Ukraine amid Russia's military operation.
( With inputs from ANI )
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