No announcement was made by Russians that if Indians place the Indian flag over their homes, they will be safely evacuated - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 2, 2022
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that the Russian army has asked Indians to place Indian flags on their houses and vehicles and said that they will not harm Indians and evacuate Indians to safe places. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Russian army has asked Indians to place Indian flags on their houses and vehicles and said that they will not harm Indians and evacuate Indians to safe places.
Fact: No such announcement was made by the Russian army. In its advisory, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine has asked Indians to print out the Indian flag and paste it prominently on vehicles and buses while traveling. However, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said that Russia has promised that it will not harm Indian students. Recently, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine advised Indians to leave Kyiv immediately. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched on the internet about the claim, no such announcement by the Russian army was found in the search results. If the Russian army made any such announcement, most of the media agencies would have reported about it. But no reputed news agency published any such news. Also, the ‘Embassy of India in Russia’ did not tweet any such advisory.
On 25 February 2022, an advisory was issued to all Indian Nationals in Ukraine by the Indian Embassy in Ukraine. In the advisory, it was written – “Print out Indian flag and paste prominently on vehicles and buses while traveling”. There was no mention of the Russian army evacuating the Indians to safe places.
Important Advisory to all Indian Nationals/Students in Ukraine as on 25 February 2022.@MEAIndia @PIB_India @DDNewslive @PIBHindi @DDNational @IndianDiplomacy @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/79124Ks0Sm
Talking to ‘ANI’, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said – “We have asked the students who are travelling on bikes, cars, and buses to display the Indian flag prominently on the vehicles. People who are not carrying pictures of flags have been sent flags through social media. Russia has promised that it will not take any action against Indian students. We have asked them to reach the Ukraine border carrying the Indian Flags“.
Recently, on 01 March 2022, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine tweeted – “All Indian nationals including students are advised to leave Kyiv urgently today”. They did not advise Indians to keep the Indian flags on their houses so that the Russian army can evacuate them to safe places (as claimed in the post).
Advisory to Indians in Kyiv
All Indian nationals including students are advised to leave Kyiv urgently today. Preferably by available trains or through any other means available.
Also, on 01 March 2022, Arindam Bagchi (Official Spokesperson – Ministry of External Affairs) has confirmed the death of an Indian student during an attack in Kharkiv.
With profound sorrow we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning. The Ministry is in touch with his family.
We convey our deepest condolences to the family.
However, talking to ‘ANI’, the Indian students who reached Bucharest (Romania) from Ukraine said – “We were told in Ukraine that being Indians and carrying Indian flag, we won’t have any problems”, “The Turkish and Pakistani students were also using the Indian flag”.
#WATCH | "We were easily given clearance due to the Indian flag; made the flag using a curtain & colour spray…Both Indian flag & Indians were of great help to the Pakistani, Turkish students," said Indians students after their arrival in Bucharest, Romania#UkraineCrisis pic.twitter.com/vag59CcPVf
To sum it up, no announcement was made by the Russian army that if Indians place the Indian flag over their homes, they will be safely evacuated.