New Delhi
Hours after Ukraine’s Ambassador in Delhi Igor Polikha made an emotional appeal to India to intervene in the situation of war unleashed by Russia on his country, a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to take place tonight.
Modi will speak to Putin amid the crisis in Ukraine, official sources said.
Sources said the request for the Modi-Putin meeting had come from the Russian side.
In the meanwhile, Prime Minister presided over a meeting of the cabinet committee on security (CCS). Home Minister Amit Shah, defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar attended the meeting. The meeting deliberated upon the situation in Ukraine and its impact on India.
It was followed by the cabinet meeting in which commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri were also present.
Russia opened military operations against Ukraine this morning after months of tension over Ukraine's proximity to NATO. Mr Putin earlier claimed that Ukraine is a puppet of the West and was never a proper state anyway.
By evening, Russia claimed that its military has destroyed more than 70 military targets in Ukraine, including 11 airfields, 18 radar stations of the S-300, and Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems. At least 68 people -- soldiers and civilians -- were killed, according to an AFP tally from various Ukrainian official sources.
Ukraine ambassador Igor Polikha had made a passionate appeal by invoking the name of Chanakya and the epic Mahabharatha. He told reporters that only India has the capacity and “Modiji” the stature to intervene in the situation.
Igor said India had seen men of great statecraft like Chanakya much before the birth of Jesus Christ. “Mahabharata war could not be averted but if India intervenes, this war can be averted,” he said.
"India is a very influential global player… We are asking for a strong voice from India,” he said while speaking with the reporters in Delhi.
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