Saints from Russia and Ukraine perform ‘kirtan’ and prayers at the Maha Kumbh 2025, in Prayagraj. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
Amid reports that diplomats from several countries, including Russia and Ukraine, are slated to visit the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Saturday (February 1, 2025), Ukraine’s Embassy in India has refuted the news, saying that their Ambassador will not participate alongside Russia due to the ongoing war between the two countries. The Embassy called Russia the “aggressor” in the war and said that participating alongside the Russian side would be against their “principles”.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the Embassy congratulated India for the event but explained their decision to avoid participation, saying, “As Lord Hanuman, protector of dharma, stood unwavering in the face of evil, Ukraine too stands firm as a guardian of justice & truth. Participating alongside representatives of the aggressor would betray these very principles. Thus, Ambassador of Ukraine will avoid participation on this occassion.”
Condemning Russia, the Embassy also said that the ongoing war has caused “mass killings, forcible child deportations, brutal torture of prisoners of war, sexual violence against women and girls, and the destruction of Ukraine’s national identity and culture.”
“This blood of thousands innocently killed by the aggressor people still knocks in our hearts. This blood will forever stain the hands of the aggressor and can never be washed away, not even by the sacred waters of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati at the Holy Triveni Sangam,” it further said.
Earlier in the week, Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand told PTI that the diplomats would be visiting the site on Saturday (February 1, 2025).
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, saying diplomats from countries including Japan, USA, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, the Netherlands, Cameroon, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, and Bolivia will attend the Maha Kumbh, according to the report.
Published – January 28, 2025 10:58 am IST
