Kyiv/New York: An Indian national has been killed in a wave of intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday. He said on X that the Indian was among 12 killed in drone and missile strikes on several targets across Ukraine in five days of heightened attacks by Moscow. Zelensky did not name the Indian victim or where he was killed.
The death of the Indian came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appealed in the name of humanity to end the “endless” war.
At their meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in the Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek on Monday, PM Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin, “We need to move from endless war to an end to the war, to a cessation of hostilities”.
“Every day that the war continues, humanity is, in effect, set back a step, whilst every step towards peace gives all of humanity real hope for peace”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of India in Kyiv said that it is providing “all possible assistance” for early repatriation of the mortal remains of the killed Indian.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of an Indian national in an attack in Ukraine. The Embassy is in touch with the bereaved family and extends its deepest condolences. We are providing all possible assistance for early repatriation of the mortal remains. In this regard, the Embassy is in contact with his company and the Ukrainian authorities,” the Indian Embassy posted on X.
Zelensky said on X, “In Kyiv, a strike on a railway depot killed 7 people. The Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, and Dnipro regions also came under attack. Overall, 12 people were killed, among them an Indian citizen, and dozens more were injured in the attack. A significant number of jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles were used in the attack.”
He accused Moscow of targetting “its strikes specifically to cause as much destruction to people’s lives as possible, and it succeeds only when air defense capabilities are insufficient”.
Citing the attacks, he pleaded for more help for fighting off missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, which according to reports is running low on air defence systems.
Russia “succeeds only when air defense capabilities are insufficient”, he said.
“The number of victims of Russian terror directly hinges on every new package of assistance”, he added.
Supplies of the Patriot air defence system to Ukraine have dwindled.
The US has been using them in the Iran War, while Western European nations that have been the main suppliers to Ukraine are trying to hold on to a minimal supply for their own defence.
US President Donald Trump agreed in July to allow Ukraine to manufacture them, but went back on it sending it back for negotiations.
(IANS)
