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.
The Ministry of External Affairs in touch with all the neighbouring countries surrounding Ukraine to even evacuate Indian citizens. Many citizens who were to fly back to India were left at the airport after closure of Ukrainian airspace following Russia's Vladimir Putin announcement of a military operation in Ukraine.
Amidst the prevailing tension, the Indian students stranded in Ukraine are left with no choice but to queue up outside the Indian Embassy in Kiev seeking the authorities' help as they ran out of food and money. The Russian military actions in Ukraine have triggered panic among all sections, including students from India.
Clashes have also been taking place around the capital Kiev in the north and the Black Sea port cities of Odesa and Mariupol in the south, the report said. Air strikes from Russia have been carried out on Ukrainian military bases and airports, with fierce fighting reported around a key airport near Kiev.
The top of the Tower shone bright with a burnt orange top Tuesday, February 22, 2022 to celebrate student Jaskaran Singh’s victory in the “Jeopardy! National College Championship" shared the university's website.
Students at the Ternopil Medical University in Ukraine capital Kyiv are in constant touch with the Indian Embassy. The varsity is also extending assistance to the students. There are around 20,000 Indian nationals in Ukraine. Most of them are medical students.
The announcement marks this week's one-year anniversary of a supply chain review that found the U.S. is overly dependent on foreign sources, especially China.
