India seeking safe passage for its citizens both from Ukrainian, Russian authorities: MEA

India is seeking safe passage for its citizens from Ukrainian and Russian authorities, said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday.

We have been pressing all sides, both Russian and Ukrainian for the safe passage of our citizens. If the Russians have a solution to a corridor. That is great. That is the way to go but as I say we have some indications of a way out from southwest of Kharkiv. We took that. We are continuing to press all sides," Bagchi said while replying to a question, whether Humanitarian Corridor exists from the Russian side or not.

Further replying to a question on SWIFT sanctions, Bagchi said, "Let us see the fine print. Let us see what exactly is happening then we will know how much it impacts us. It is not a sanction related to us. It is another country. If and how it impacts us. Then we will see. I have nothing to say at this point."


The United States and its European partners responded by imposing sanctions targeting several major Russian banks and high-level Russian government officials, including President Vladimir Putin, and ousting Russia from the SWIFT financial system.

SWIFT is the acronym for the Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. The Belgian-based co-operative is used by thousands of financial institutions in over 200 countries, including Russia, and provides a secure messaging system to facilitate cross-border money transfers.

Meanwhile, Russian forces moving towards Ukraine's capital, including a large military convoy, "remain stalled," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. The troops could be "regrouping," or facing challenges such as supply shortages and Ukrainian resistance.

A large Russian military convoy stretching over 30 km was delayed on Thursday due to staunch Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion said the latest UK defence intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.