Month: February 2022

A petition has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking to issue directions to the respondent Centre to take immediately the effective diplomatic steps and measures for the escalation of the stranded Indian citizens including students and families in Ukraine.

The petition has been moved by advocate Vishal Tiwari, who also sought to issue directions to Respondent to ensure the essential and emergency supplies like medical facilities, housing and lodging facilities and supply of food to the stranded Indian citizens in Ukraine.
The petitioner also sought to issue directions to Respondent to ensure that the MBBS degree of the Indian students Studied from Ukraine through online mode shall be recognized so that the medical students shall not lose their career.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari said that he has filed the petition for the protection of Indian Citizens including thousands of students and families who are stranded in Ukraine during the present Russia and Ukraine conflict/war.

“The ongoing war in Russia and Ukraine has left the life and liberty of the Indian Students and Families in danger who are residing in Ukraine for the studies and work. Over 20,000 Indians are presently in Ukraine including 18,000 students while the world is watching the developments in Ukraine with Russia’s military build-up on the borders of the country, ” the petitioner said.

“However, flights to India have become costlier and are only available after February 2022. But recently on Thursday, the Russian President Mr Putin has announced a military operation against Ukraine claiming that it is intended to protect civilians. The present military Action has put the question mark on the safety and life of the Indian Students studying in Ukraine. The Air Space has been Shut down in Ukraine and there is no hope for Indian Students to escape from that war land,” said the petition.

There are thousands of Indian medical Students studying in Ukraine, their future has been gone in the dark because their studies and degrees are at stake. Some of the Universities are giving online classes but some of the universities are forcing for offline classes due to which the medical Students are in fear that their degrees are at risk if they leave Ukraine, the petition said.

Advocate Tiwari further added that some of the universities are refusing to allow foreign students to leave the country and not allowing them to take online classes.

He further said that the students from every state of our Nation are stuck and trapped in Ukraine and their family members and parents are crying and looking for hope towards the Government.

“The Government has the responsibility to protect the life and liberty of its Citizens Guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India not only in its Country but in foreign Countries also, especially when the Citizens are helpless and all mode of Transports is Shutdown. Government has to take and Adopt several Diplomatic measures,” stated the petition. (ANI)

The sanctions imposed on Moscow are not enough to curtail Russian military operations against Ukraine, the country’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday and added that they are defending their country alone.

Speaking after a reported Russian operation in the capital of Kiev, Zelenskyy said the world was still just observing the events in Ukraine from a distance.
“This morning, we are defending our country alone. Just like yesterday, the most powerful country in the world looked on from a distance,” he said in a Facebook video, as quoted by CNN.

“Russia was hit with sanctions yesterday, but these are not enough to get these foreign troops off our soil. Only through solidarity and determination can this be achieved,” he added.

Leaders from a number of countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. They have also imposed heavy sanctions on Russia.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday said that the US will introduce a new wave of sanctions against Russia in a broad effort to isolate Moscow from the global economy.

The new package of sanctions aims to cut Russia off from the US financial markets and includes freezing the assets of four major Russian banks, including VTB Bank, the nation’s second-biggest bank.

Hours after that, President of the European Council Charles Michel said that the EU has made a political decision to impose additional sanctions on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine.

“We took a political decision to add an additional package of mass sanction which will be painful for the Russian regime,” Michel said after the extraordinary EU Summit.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the new EU sanctions against Russia will hit 70 percent of the Russian banking sector, key state-run corporations and deprive Russia of access to modern technologies.

“First, this package includes financial sanctions that cut Russia’s access to the most important capital markets. We are now targeting 70% of the Russian banking market. But also, key state-owned companies including in field of defense,” von der Leyen said after the extraordinary EU Summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized Ukraine’s breakaway regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent entities. Later, Putin ordered special military operations “to protect” the people in eastern Ukraine and “demilitarise” the country. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the defence sector should tap India’s strength in information technology while stressing that cyber security is integral to national security.

PM Modi stated that cyber security has become a matter of national security. He called for using the strength of India’s Information technology (IT) sector in the defence sector.

“India’s IT sector is our great strength. The more we use this power in our defence sector, the more confident we will be in our security. For example, cyber security is no longer limited to the digital world only. It has become a matter of national security,” said the Prime Minister while addressing a webinar on ‘Aatmanirbharta in Defence-Call to Action’.

The Prime Minister mentioned that in the last 5-6 years, the country has increased its defence exports by six times.

“It is also very pleasant to know that in the last 5-6 years, we have increased defence exports by six times. Today we are providing ‘Made in India’ defence equipment and services to more than 75 countries,” he said.

The Prime Minister recalled that last year, seven new defence public undertakings have been set up.

PM Modi said, “Our ordnance factories have shown that when we move forward with determination and full sincerity we achieve desired results. Last year, we created seven new defence public undertakings. Today, they are expanding capacities rapidly and are reaching new markets.”

PM Modi also stated that more than 350 new industrial licenses have been issued for defence manufacturing in the last seven years in line with the government’s encouragement to ‘Make in India’. Whereas in the fourteen years from 2001 to 2014, only 200 licenses were issued, he added.

The Prime Minister added that transparent, time-bound, pragmatic and fair systems of trial, testing and certification are essential to the growth of the vibrant defence industry.

He said, “Transparent, time-bound, pragmatic and fair systems of trial, testing and certification are essential to the growth of the vibrant defence industry. For this, an independent system can prove useful in solving problems.”

Union Budget 2022-23 related to the Ministry of Defence has given further impetus to Aatmanirbharta in Defence, said the Ministry of Defence in an official statement. The Ministry has organised a post-budget webinar titled ‘Aatmanirbharta in Defence – Call to Action’ on the announcements made in the budget for the defence sector.

The objective of the webinar is to involve all the stakeholders in taking forward the various initiatives of the Government in the defence sector. (ANI)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on Thursday ordering general mobilization in the wake of Russia’s military operation.

He said that it is to be carried out within 90 days. Zelenskyy also said 137 Ukrainians had been killed so far, reported DW.
Moreover, US President Joe Biden, while addressing the nation on the situation in Ukraine, condemned Russia for launching the military strike on Thursday and announced “new strong sanctions and limitations” on Russia.

The sanctions include limiting Russia’s ability to do business in dollars, euros, pounds, and yen to be part of the global economy, stopping the ability to finance and grow the Russian military, and impairing Russia’s ability to compete in a high-tech 21st-century economy. (ANI)

Denmark will accept refugees fleeing from Ukraine, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told journalists on Thursday.

Frederiksen also pledged humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and its neighbors.

“There will be internally displaced refugees. There will, of course, also be a lot of pressure on a country like Poland, but also on Moldova and other countries. And then the refugee flows can enter Europe, which Denmark will facilitate,” Frederiksen explained.

However, she added that “it is far too early to put figures on how many refugees Denmark will take in.”

According to the Danish news agency Ritzau, immigration authorities have started preparations to take in Ukrainian refugees.

Meanwhile, as a NATO member state, Denmark will bolster its own national preparedness and the NATO defense alliance’s readiness, Frederiksen said.

“Denmark is not threatened directly … But (the crisis in Ukraine) will have an impact on our economy and our energy supply. We expect a lasting international crisis, potentially with large costs for the Danish society. We are living in uncertain times,” she said.

According to Chief of Defense Flemming Lentfer, Denmark will be used as a “springboard” for Allied forces in the future.

“This may mean that additional Danish forces must be deployed outside the border,” Lentfer said.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a “special military operation,” and Ukraine confirmed that military installations across the country were under attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law in the country following that. (ANI/Xinhua)

India registered as many as 13,166 fresh COVID-19 infections with a positivity rate of 1.28 per cent and 302 fatalities in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Friday.

The single-day rise of fresh infections took the total tally of cases in the country to 4,28,94,345. Of this figure, India’s active caseload currently stands at 1,34,235 which accounts for 0.31 per cent of the total cases.

The government data said today that 302 fresh fatalities pushed India’s death toll to 5,13,226.

Moreover, total recoveries moved up to 4,22,46,884 including 26,988 recoveries in the last 24 hours. With this, the recovery rate currently is at 98.49 per cent, the Union Ministry informed.

As far as COVID-19 tests are concerned, 10,30,016 tests have been conducted in the last 24 hours thereby taking the daily positivity rate to 1.28 per cent.

The ministry informed that about 176.86 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive to fight against the virus. (ANI)

Service chiefs and Defence Secretary on Friday laid wreaths at the National War Memorial in Delhi on Friday on the occasion of the memorial’s third anniversary.

Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar laid wreaths at the National War Memorial to mark its third anniversary.

The memorial was dedicated to the nation on February 25, 2019, and stands testimony to sacrifices by gallant soldiers since the country’s independence.

The memorial is dedicated to soldiers who laid down their lives defending the nation during the Sino-Indian war in 1962, the Indo-Pak wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, Indian Peace Keeping Force operations in Sri Lanka and in the Kargil Conflict in 1999.

It also commemorates the soldiers who participated and made supreme sacrifices in UN Peace Keeping Missions, during HADR Operations, Counter Insurgency Operations and Low-Intensity Capital Operation (LICO). (ANI)

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Russia visit is facing heavy backlash from Pakistani media who noted that the visit is to soothe his “hurt ego”, a media report said.

The Pakistani media commented that the invitation to visit Moscow was not extended by President Vladimir Putin but was sought by Pakistan to soothe the hurt ego of Imran Khan, claimed The Geneva Daily.

“Anybody could see the Russia-Ukraine tension escalating to full-blown war. Was Imran Khan not told that he might literally end up in the war theater and it was not wise to be in Moscow at this time? What kind of business could you conduct with Putin at this hour?” the report quoted Murtaza Solangi, a prominent journalist.

The TV panelist Raza Rumi said, “Imran Khan says that he will play his role for friendship between Russia and Ukraine. How Imran Khan, who doesn’t talk to the Opposition in his own country, can speak of reconciliation between other countries?”

Political analysts also pointed out the gaffes by Khan on his earlier bilateral visits and apprehended that he may yet again, embarrass the country in the context of the US-Russia tussle on Ukraine conflict, the report said.

The visit comes amidst a fragile economic and domestic situation in Pakistan. The economy is reeling under severe inflation, rising debt, and poor industrial performance while the Opposition parties are planning a no-confidence motion in a joint fight against Khan’s misgovernance. (ANI)

Many Russians have been detained in cities across Russia for protesting against the ‘military operation’ in Ukraine.

Solo pickets –public protest in Russia –have taken place from the southern city of Tolyatti to the Far East city of Khabarovsk, reported Moscow Times.

The police reported nearly 100 detentions in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities for staging protests. Rights activist Marina Litvinovich on Thursday called on Russians to attend a “walk” against the Russian military operation in Ukraine, including on Pushkin Square in central Moscow.

Moscow prosecutors warned that unauthorized gatherings are illegal and will lead to “negative consequences,” and the federal Investigative Committee issued a special warning to “unpermitted” demonstrators, reported the news portal.

This is a key development as the tensions along the Ukraine borders escalate following which many west counties have announced sanctions on Russia targeting its economy. (ANI)

The World Bank, in its statement on Thursday, said that it is ready to provide immediate financial support to Ukraine amid the present political and military crisis.

“We stand ready to provide immediate support to Ukraine and are preparing options for such support, including fast-disbursing financing. Alongside development partners, the World Bank Group will use all our financing and technical support tools for rapid response,” as per the statement.

David Malpass, President of the World Bank Group, in the Thursday statement, said, “The World Bank Group is horrified by the shocking violence and loss of life as a result of the events unfolding in Ukraine. We are a long-standing partner of Ukraine and stand with its people at this critical moment.”

According to the World Bank statement, “The devastating developments in Ukraine will have far-reaching economic and social impacts,” it added, “We are coordinating closely with the IMF to assess these costs.”

Malpass discussed the situation with the Board of Directors and said that they have mobilized their Global Crisis Risk Platform to accelerate coordination across the World Bank Group.

Malpass met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich on Saturday where he reaffirmed the World Bank Group’s “strong support and commitment” to the people of Ukraine and the region.

The World Bank Group is also in active dialogue to support neighbouring countries and people that may be affected by this conflict and will make additional resources available, said Malpass in the statement. (ANI)