Have assisted evacuation of 146,000 foreign citizens since Russia's invasion, says Ukrainian govt

Kyiv [Ukraine]: Ukrainian government has assisted around 146,000 foreign citizens to leave Ukraine since Russia's invasion, said the country's foreign ministry on Monday.

"Since Russia's invasion, Ukrainian government has assisted 146K foreign citizens to leave Ukraine, including 20K Indian students evacuated from the besieged cities," tweeted Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

It further said that Russia must cease-fire immediately to open humanitarian corridors for civilians in Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol cities of Ukraine.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the ongoing conflict with Russia and sought continued support from his government for the evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy.

In a phone call that lasted for about 35 minutes, PM Modi thanked President Zelensky for the help extended by the Government of Ukraine in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the third round of negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia began on Monday, informed the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

The two countries will discuss political, humanitarian aspects and a military settlement during the third round of talks, Sputnik reported citing the head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics followed by the announcement of a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "denazify" Ukraine. (ANI)