New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday conveyed condolences to India following a severe cyclone that swept across Uttar Pradesh, leaving at least 90 people dead and causing widespread destruction across several districts.
In messages addressed to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Putin expressed sympathy over “heavy loss of life and large-scale destruction” caused by the cyclone.
The message shared by the Russian foreign ministry read: “Please convey my words of sympathy and support to the families and loved ones of those who perished, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all those injured as a result of this natural disaster.”
The Kremlin has previously issued similar statements of condolence in response to disasters and security incidents in India, amid a pattern of continued diplomatic engagement between Moscow and New Delhi during national emergencies.
✉️ President Putin sent a message of condolences to President of India @rashtrapatibhvn & Prime Minister @narendramodi:
✍️ Please accept my deepest condolences over the heavy loss of life & large-scale destruction caused by the cyclone in Uttar Pradesh.https://t.co/ZiSzmRoSj2 pic.twitter.com/BwaM367Gay
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) May 14, 2026
A fast-moving storm system accompanied by intense rainfall and high-speed winds struck parts of Uttar Pradesh on 13 and 14 May, causing structural collapses, uprooting trees and disrupting power infrastructure across multiple regions. The worst-affected districts included Prayagraj, where 21 deaths were reported, Fatehpur, with 15 fatalities, Bhadohi, with between 13 and 16 deaths and Mirzapur, with around 12 deaths.
Earlier, in June 2025, Putin had sent condolences after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In April 2025, he condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. And in July 2024, he had expressed condolences following a stampede in Uttar Pradesh that left 121 people dead.
Interestingly, during the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, while global reaction to Moscow’s military offensive was overwhelmingly negative, a Pew Research survey covering 24 countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America found that 57 percent of Indians expressed a favorable view of Russia, marking a record high.
The survey also found that India was the only country where a majority of respondents said they trusted Putin to “do the right thing” in international affairs. It also suggested that nearly 40 percent of global pro-Russia posts on Twitter originated from Indian users.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)