Ukraine hopes that New Delhi will help restrain Russia: Kyiv's envoy to India Igor Polikha

The Ukrainian Ambassador to India Igor Polikha urged the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to interfere and 'immediately contact Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky'.

As the situation in Ukraine remains unstable, uncertain and volatile, the Ukrainian Ambassador to India Igor Polikha urged the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to interfere and 'immediately contact Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky'.

He said India has a special relationship with Russia, and New Delhi can play a more active role in controlling the situation. Polikha further said that they are ready to defend their territorial integrity. Dr. Polikha went on to say that they are hoping for the Indian leadership's active support in putting an end to the war. He stated that they are currently requesting and pleading for India's support. "In the event of a totalitarian regime's aggression against a democratic state, India should fully assume its global role. Modi ji is one of the world's most powerful and respected leaders," he continued.

Further elaborating, he stated that he does not know how many leaders Putin might listen to, but the status of Modi gives them hope that in the case of his strong voice, Putin should at least think about it. He went on to say that they are anticipating a much more favourable attitude from the Indian government.

Calling it a case of blatant aggression, he said that they have confirmed information that bombs and missile attacks attacked a lot of Ukrainian aerodromes, military airports, military installations.

Further speaking, he informed some attacks occurred on the outskirts of the capital, and some attacks occurred deep within Ukraine's borders. He also said they had received the first reports of casualties among our soldiers and civilians.

Meanwhile, Russia's President Vladimir Putin has declared a military operation in Ukraine. Putin stated in a televised address that the action is in response to threats from Ukraine. The Russian President went on to say that Russia has no intention of occupying Ukraine. Putin also warned other countries that interfering with Russia's actions would result in "consequences they have never seen before."

In a recent development, Russian-backed separatists claimed to have taken control of the towns of Shchastia and Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukraine's Luhansk region, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, Ukraine's border guard agency claimed that the Russian military attacked the country from neighbouring Belarus.

Earlier in the day, Russia's defence ministry announced that it had destroyed military infrastructure at Ukraine's air bases and "suppressed" its air defences. Ukraine also claimed that five Russian planes and one helicopter had been shot down.