'Leave immediately by available means,' India tells citizens in Ukraine as situation deteriorates

With Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring martial law in parts of Ukraine, India has issued an advisory to its citizens to exit immediately.

The Embassy of India in Kyiv tweeted its latest advisory "in view of the deteriorating security situation and recent escalations of hostilities across Ukraine".

"The Indian citizens, including students, currently in Ukraine are advised to leave Ukraine at the earliest by available means,” the Embassy tweeted.

Besides advising Indian nationals against travelling to the East European nation that is being invaded by Russia. The conflict in Ukraine has been going on since February this year.

Putin has declared martial law in four regions in Ukraine that are partially occupied by them, namely Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Although Russia has unilaterally annexed and does not fully control any of the four regions, it is imposing martial law there as if they were Russian territories.

The law that Putin invoked, dating from 2002, has never been used and can be implemented only if Russia faces aggression or the "immediate threat of aggression".
(With agency inputs)