New Delhi: Abhay Kumar Singh, a native Indian serving as deputat (the equivalent of an MLA in India) in Putin’s government, has justified Russia’s military action against Ukraine. He said President Putin gave multiple chances to Ukraine to discuss the issues, but things did not work out. Comparing the situation between Russia and Ukraine with India and China, Singh said, “How would India react if China builds a military establishment in Bangladesh?”
Singh added North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed against Russia. “It [NATO] was not dissolved even after the dissolution of Soviet Union, and it kept advancing closer to Russia. Ukraine is next to the Russian border, and they are calling NATO forces that are against the agreement between NATO and Russia. The President had to take steps to ensure our safety,” he said.
Speaking about Putin’s address where he hinted using nuclear weapons, Singh said, “No one needs to be afraid of nuclear weapons. Our President has announced it, but we take action only if we are attacked by other nations.” Speaking to Aaj Tak, he said it is not a two-way war. “The Russian army’s movement in Ukraine is slow as we are ensuring the safety of the civilians.”
Singh alleged the Ukrainian armed forces have been using civilians as shields in the war zone. He said, “They [Ukrainian soldiers] are using the civilians in the shelter as a shield. This is why the Russian Army’s movement is slow.”
Singh compared the current situation to a surgical strike. When asked how he could call it a surgical strike when the shelling has happened on civilian establishments like malls, Singh said, “We are only attacking the military establishments. If someone shoots at us using a civilian establishment, we have to answer it.”
Abhay Kumar Singh is a native of Patna, Bihar, currently serving as a deputat (equivalent to an MLA) in Kursk, Russia. Singh had joined United Russian Party, President Putin’s political party, in April 2017. However, his political inclination was visible on his Facebook profile from 2015. Singh had completed his education at Loyola High School in Patna. Singh had lost his father at the age of 13. He wanted to become a doctor, and destiny took him to Kursk to pursue a degree in medicine from Kursk State Medical University in 1991.
After acquiring his degree from Russia, he came back to India to practice as a doctor, but things did not work the way he intended. Soon after returning back to India, he decided to return to Kursk and started a pharmaceutical business. His association with political figures came to light in 2012 when then-Indian Ambassador to Russia, Ajai Malhotra, inaugurated Uralskiy Trade Centre, a mall owned by Singh in the heart of Kursk City.
While he continued to build relations with local Russians in Kursk, his Indian connection remained close to his heart. In 2015, on the first International Yoga Day, Singh organized a Yoga event in Kursk. After getting elected as Deputat in 2018, he had said, “India is my origin place, but Russia is my adopted place.” Singh further added as his family and friends are in India, he often tried to visit India.
Speaking to Sunday Guardian after being elected as Deputat, he had said, “My father passed away when I was just 13 years old. At that time only, I had decided to become a doctor. Hence, I came here. After graduating from the Kursk State Medical University, I went back to Patna to practice as a registered doctor there. But I came back here after some time and entered the pharmaceutical business. However, gradually, I entered politics.”
Initially, he felt awkward being the only Indian among the Russian lawmakers, but soon the awkwardness faded away as the fellow lawmakers always respected him for his position in the assembly. While talking about Indian politics, he said he liked Prime Minister Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. He had said, “I am still interested in the political happenings in India, and I like Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar. I want relations between India and Russia to always stay warm as they have been. Everyone here still remembers the popular slogan ‘Hindi Russi Bhai Bhai’. That is the spirit that should govern our relations.”