Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Mar, 2022 10:51 AM
OTTAWA — The Canadian representative for the United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, says it's too early to begin to resettle Ukrainian refugees who have fled Russian aggression in their country by the thousands.
Rema Jamous says the scale of displacement from Ukraine is daunting, as some 500,000 people have already fled to neighbouring countries seeking safety.
If trends continue, the UNHCR estimates there could be as many as four million Ukrainian refugees.
Still, Jamous says most people who left Ukraine hope to return home when it is safe to do so.
In the meantime, she says, refugees inside and outside of Ukraine's borders will need humanitarian support, as current resources are likely to be depleted quickly.
The UNHCR will discuss resettlement options with countries like Canada at a later stage, but Jamous says typically the demand from people looking for a new home far outstrips the opportunities offered by governments.
India is working out evacuation plans for Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine through Romania, Hungary and Poland. The Foreign Secretary also stated that flight options will available from Dubai and Istanbul and the Indian Embassy continues to be operational in Ukraine.
The Madhya Pradesh government said on Friday that 46 students from the state who registered with the Chief Minister's helpline are safe in Ukraine. However, it is not known exactly how many students from the state are stranded in the war-hit country.
The announcement came shortly after President Vladimir Putin authorised a "special military operation" in the conflict-hit Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Flights to Kiev, Dnepr, Lvov and Odessa airports "are restricted due to potential hazard for civil aviation
The United Nations refugee agency said on Thursday that the situation was quickly deteriorating after Russia's invasion. It appealed to neighbouring countries to keep their borders open to people seeking a safe haven.
There are an estimated 25,000 Indian students in Ukraine alone who are pursuing medicine, engineering, and science courses. More than 2,500 students from Tamil Nadu are estimated to be studying in Ukraine.
The Foreign Secretary stated that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has spoken to his Polish, Romanian, Hungarian, and Slovakian counterparts for setting up a camp at border areas for evacuation of stranded Indian nationals. He also stated that flight options are available through Dubai and Istanbul and that the Indian Embassy continues to be operational in Ukraine.
