Russia thanks India for balanced position on Ukraine crisis

Russia is grateful to India for its balanced position on the crisis in Ukraine, and New Delhi understands its depth, Russian ambassador to New Delhi Denis Alipov said on Wednesday.

"We are strategic partners with India. We are grateful to India for its balanced position demonstrated at the UN. India understands the depth of this crisis," ANI news agency quotes the diplomat as saying, reports TASS.

On 25 February, India abstained from voting on a UN Security Council resolution proposing to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine. India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, T. S. Tirumurti said that New Delhi believes that dialogue "is the only answer to resolve the differences."

Last week, Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi spoke on telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the start of Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine. The prime minister called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue. The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would continue to maintain regular contacts on issues of topical interest.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on 24 February that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories