By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington [US], March 3 (ANI): After Russia claimed that Ukraine is using Indian students as human shields, the US Department of State on Wednesday (local time) said that they have not seen any verified report of such incidents and these activities are commonly used in Russian disinformation.
“We have seen no verified reports of these incidents, and these types of reports about using civilians as human shields are commonly used in Russian disinformation,” a US Department of State spokesperson told ANI.
Earlier, Russian Embassy in India claimed that Indian students have been taken hostage by Ukrainian security forces to use them as a human shield. “According to the latest information, these students are actually taken hostage by the Ukrainian security forces, who use them as a human shield and in every possible way prevent them from leaving for Russia. Responsibility, in this case, lies entirely with the Kyiv authorities,” Russia in India wrote in a tweet.
However, Ukraine has reacted to Russia‘s allegations and said that “Russians had taken hostage students from India, Pakistan, China and other countries”. “We called on the Russian Federation to immediately cease its hostilities in Kharkiv and Sumy so that they can arrange the evacuation of the civilian population, including foreign students, to safer Ukrainian cities”,” said Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry in a statement.
Ukraine demanded Moscow to allow the opening of a humanitarian corridor to other Ukrainian cities.
“We urgently call on the governments of India, Pakistan, China and other counties whose students have become hostages of the Russian armed aggression in Kharkiv and Sumy, to demand from Moscow that it allows the opening of a humanitarian corridor to other Ukrainian cities,” the statement said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine earlier today launched an emergency hotline for foreign students wishing to leave Ukraine because of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.
“We have established an emergency hotline for African, Asian and other students wishing to leave Ukraine because of Russia‘s invasion. +380934185684. We are working intensively to ensure their safety and speed up their passage. Russia must stop its aggression which affects us all,” Kuleba said on Twitter on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Russian Envoy to UN Vasily Nebenzya has repeatedly said that nationalists in Ukraine are using civilians as human shields. (ANI)
Biden administration looking whether to apply or waive sanctions on India under CAATSA: US diplomat
By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington [US], March 3 (ANI): The Biden administration is looking whether to apply or waive sanctions on India for its purchase of the S-400 Triumf missile defence system from Russia, under Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), said US diplomat Donald Lu said on Wednesday (local time). Lu’s remarks came as India drew criticism from US lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, at a hearing on the “US relationship with India” for being among 35 nations that abstained Wednesday from a UN vote to rebuke Russia’s invasion.
A concern that stood out repeatedly in the hearing was the India–US defence security cooperation and whether India would be sanctioned for its purchase of the S-400 Triumf missile defence system from Russia, under CAATSA. Lu said that the Biden administration is yet to decide on applying sanctions on India under CAATSA. “What I can say is that India is a really important security partner of ours now and that we value moving forward that partnership,” he said.
As the US strengthens its ties with India as a pivotal regional counterweight to China, the Biden administration has delayed enforcement of a law ordering sanctions on India for trading with Russia.
India has been the largest importer of Russian arms since 2016. Lu informed the Sun panel that India had recently cancelled orders of Russian MiG-29 fighter aircraft, helicopters and anti-tank weapons, and he projected that the new sanctions would motivate other countries to do likewise.
He told lawmakers it is unlikely Russia will be able to make new sales or provide maintenance to customers for existing systems. “My view is that it’s going to be very hard for anyone to buy major weapon systems from Moscow in the coming months and years, given sweeping financial sanctions that the administration, with the support of Congress, has levelled…I would guess that India is one of those countries worried about that,” Lu added.
Notably, voting results displayed on screens at the UN General Assembly showed that 141 nations voted in favour of the move condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and five nations were against it, with 35 countries, including India, abstaining. (ANI)
