Zelenskyy Slams Modi's Hug with "World's Most Bloody Criminal" Putin Amidst Ukraine Tragedy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced strong disappointment over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Russia, describing it as a “devastating blow to peace efforts.” The timing of Modi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin has intensified the controversy, coinciding with a tragic missile strike in Kyiv that claimed the lives of 37 people, including three children, and injured 170 others.

On the same day that Ukraine mourned the loss of innocent lives due to Russia’s brutal missile strike on the largest children’s hospital in Kyiv, images emerged of Modi and Putin warmly embracing at the Russian leader’s suburban Moscow residence. Zelenskyy expressed his outrage on social media platform X, highlighting the stark contrast between the devastating events in Ukraine and the seemingly cordial relations between Modi and Putin.

“In Ukraine today, 37 people were killed, three of whom were children, and 170 were injured, including 13 children, as a result of Russia’s brutal missile strike. A Russian missile struck the largest children’s hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients. Many were buried under the rubble. It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day,” Zelenskyy lamented.

The criticism was not limited to Zelenskyy alone. Indian Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also condemned Modi's meeting with Putin, pointing out the insensitivity of the timing. “Self-styled Vishwaguru, who also gave himself the title of Vishwabandhu, is in Moscow the day a children’s hospital in Ukraine is bombed. What happened to the ‘Ukraine mein war rukwa di’ boast?” Ramesh questioned in a post on X.

PM Modi's visit to Russia marks his first since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. Despite the ongoing war, India has maintained a stance advocating for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict and restore peace. During his visit, Modi expressed gratitude to Putin for hosting him and emphasized the importance of their talks in strengthening India-Russia relations. “Gratitude to President Putin for hosting me at Novo-Ogaryovo this evening. Looking forward to our talks tomorrow as well, which will surely go a long way in further cementing the bonds of friendship between India and Russia,” Modi posted on X.

In a gesture of camaraderie, Putin took Modi on a ride in his electric car around his residence, Novo-Ogaryovo. The Russian Embassy in India shared a video of the two leaders enjoying the drive, underscoring the friendly atmosphere of the visit. “Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Novo-Ogaryovo. Russia-India Druzhba Dosti,” the Russian Embassy in India stated on X.

Modi's visit to Russia was at the invitation of President Putin to attend the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit. Upon his arrival, PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the airport, where he was greeted by Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. Notably, Modi and Putin have met 16 times over the past decade, with their last in-person meeting occurring on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in 2022. During that meeting, Modi had asserted, “This is not an era of war.” In 2019, Modi was honored with Russia’s highest state award, the ‘Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First.’

The contrasting images of Modi and Putin's warm meeting and the harrowing aftermath of the missile strike in Ukraine have sparked a global debate about the complexities of international relations amidst ongoing conflicts.