"Expect India to back us": Russia to UN

New York: Russia has expressed its hope that India, which it says understands the Ukraine situation better than most, will support it at the upcoming vote on a draft resolution proposed by the United Nations Security Council which would censure Russia heavily for its invasion of Ukraine.

"We highly appreciate India's deep understanding of the current situation as well as the reasons that led to it. We expect India to support Russia at the UN Security Council," said Russia's Charge d'affaires Roman Babushkin to PTI. Moscow is looking for continued support from New Delhi in sync with the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two, he added.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to vote on Friday evening on a draft resolution on Russia's military operation in Ukraine as well as the escalating situation in the eastern European country.

Appreciating India's position, the Russian diplomat also referred to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's comments three days back in Paris that the situation in Ukraine has its roots in the post-Soviet politics and the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

"India's position has been very balanced and independent. We appreciate it and we continue to expect India's support in sync with the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries," Babushkin said, and revealed that Russia had been in constant contact with India.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that he had seen the proposed resolution and that India's stance would depend on the "final form" of the text as it was slated to undergo "considerable changes".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday during which he appealed for ending violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic dialogue. The same sentiments were echoed by Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar who had a conversation with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

Babushkin said the Western powers and the current Ukrainian government were responsible for the Russian action against Ukraine as they never heeded to Russia's security concerns as well as legitimate interests of the people of Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) in Ukraine.

The UK, US and Canada have already imposed severe sanctions on Russia in the wake of a wide-scale invasion conducted by Russian troops on the country following President Vladimir Outin's order to move troops into Luhansk and Donetsk.