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announcement of the ceasefire and establishment of humanitarian corridors in parts of Ukraine, including in Sumy, they said. Earlier, Russian authorities said it would begin a ceasefire on Monday and open “humanitarian corridors” in key Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy.

Before this, Prime Minister Modi also spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sought his support for the evacuation of Indians stuck in northeastern Ukraine’s Sumy city while reiterating his call for an immediate cessation of violence to defuse the ongoing conflict in the eastern European nation.

In his nearly 35-minute phone conversation with Zelenskyy, Modi sought continued support from the government of Ukraine in ongoing efforts for evacuation of Indian nationals from Sumy, official sources said. A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said Modi expressed “deep concern for safety and security of Indian students still in Ukraine and emphasized the need for their quick and safe evacuation.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine on Monday rejected Moscow’s offer of humanitarian corridors to Russia and Belarus, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. “This is not an acceptable option,” she said, after Russia proposed safe passage for civilians from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and Sumy. According to news agency AFP, the civilians “aren’t going to go to Belarus and then take a plane to Russia”. The Russian army said earlier on Monday it was opening humanitarian corridors from the four Ukrainian cities.

Earlier in the day, sources in the Indian Mission in Ukraine told CNN-News18 that evacuation of students from Sumy will begin soon, and that the situation was looking ‘positive’. “They told us to get ready…and girls were asked to go down. There is a queue now in front of the hostel but till now no buses have come,” a student told News18.

A video has emerged showing the moment a Russian military strike killed a family in Irpin, Ukraine, a town on the western outskirts of Kyiv, CNN has reported. In recent days, the Russian military has shelled Irpin extensively. A Ukrainian soldier is seen in the video standing outside a building on a street. On the video, an explosion can be seen and heard. Debris is heard raining down on the building, and a dust cloud obscures the street. Several journalists can be heard reacting to the strike, the report said. Someone is seen dragging the Ukrainian soldier away as the scene begins to clear. Other soldiers run across the street, appearing to be checking on the health of a number of people.

Someone can be heard repeatedly yelling, “Medic!” The bodies of several civilians are covered in sheets in photos taken by the Associated Press. CNN has determined that the civilians killed in the Russian military strike seen in the video were killed. According to CNN, the mayor of Irpin stated that at least eight people were killed in military strikes on Sunday. “A family perished,” said Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn in a statement. “Two small children and two adults died right in front of my eyes.”

Meanwhile, streaming giant Netflix has suspended its service in Russia, US media reported Sunday, in protest at Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The US-based platform had already halted its acquisitions in Russia earlier this week, as well as its production of original programs. “Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,” a spokesperson told the US magazine Variety. When contacted by AFP, Netflix did not immediately respond.

Netflix joins a host of foreign companies that have announced the suspension of operations or outright withdrawal from Russia since the launch of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine on February 24.

And Britain is releasing another $100 million to help Ukraine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday and promised fresh efforts to rally international opinion against Russia’s invasion. The $100 million, to be provided via the World Bank, is in addition to the £220 million ($290 mln) of overall aid support to Ukraine, said a statement from Downing Street. The new funding will go towards keeping key state functions operating, it added.

“While only (Russian President Vladimir) Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today’s new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation,” said Johnson.

On Tuesday, Johnson will meet the leaders of the four Visegrad countries, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This week’s meetings are part of a six-point plan that Johnson’s office unveiled on Saturday designed to ensure Russia’s invasion of Ukraine fails.

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