Kyiv rejects Moscow’s deadline for Mariupol surrender; Biden to visit Poland
Outside the station, it’s not just about compassion for refugees, but anger and resentment towards the Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Express Photo)
The buses keep coming. It’s Day 25 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and amid another round of talks for an elusive truce — this time, it’s Turkey claiming some common ground — the buses keep coming. Bringing fleeing children, women and elderly men. Hungry and tired, carrying whatever they can in small bags, escaping the war, leaving behind their homes, family, friends and pets.
They are welcomed hundreds of volunteers who provide them with information about where and how they can move next, translation services, hot food, candies and emotional support. Welcome to Warsaw Central, the railway station at the heart of Poland’s massive mobilisation to help those fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It’s a transit hub from where the refugees take trains and buses to other cities across the country and Europe — over 2 million of them, at last count, of the 3.9 million who have fled Ukraine.
India’s foreign exchange reserves fell $9.64 billion to $622.275 billion during the week ending March 11, 2022, as the rupee depreciated against the US dollar amid the rise in crude oil prices and capital outflows due to sustained selling foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). This is the biggest fall in reserves in nearly two years after it plunged $11.98 billion during the week ending March 20, 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit India and FPIs pulled out funds.
Putting severe pressure on the rupee, foreign investors withdrew Rs 41,617 crore in March. This outflow has come after withdrawals of Rs 45,720 crore in February and Rs 41,346 crore in January. With this, FPIs have pulled out Rs 225,649 crore (excluding FPI investments in IPOs) since October 1, 2021, mainly anticipating an interest rate hike the US Federal Reserve. Moreover, Brent crude prices soared to a near 14-year high of $140 as the Russia-Ukraine war intensified. As India imports nearly 80 per cent of its domestic requirements, high crude oil prices would have led to a steep rise in dollar requirement as well.
