The Hindu Sena has put up two posters backing the invasion of Ukraine and the establishment of an “Akhand Russia” on a statue of Russian poet Alexander Pushkin in New Delhi’s Mandi House, reported The Indian Express.

“Indian Hindus are with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Russia in establishing the Soviet Union,” the posters said, according to visuals shared on Twitter. “Jai ho Akhand Russia. Jai Bharat.”

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the Soviet Union, dissolved in 1991.

Hindu Sena National President Vishnu Gupta told The Indian Express that the group appreciates the steps taken by Russia to “safeguard” its borders.

“No war is good,” Gupta added. “But if we have to choose between good and better, we would stand in support of Russia, as Russia has always been a true friend of India.”

The Vice-Chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Corporation, Satish Upadhyay, said that while he was not aware of the matter, government property cannot be defaced.

Upadhyay said that officials take cognisance of incidents of defacements as soon as it brought to their notice. “If the posters are still there, we will get it removed soon,” he added.

The Hindutva group expressed support for Russia even as more than 350 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed during the invasion. An Indian student was also killed by shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Tuesday.

An estimated 2,000-5,000 Indian students are still stranded in Kharkiv where they are seeking shelter in basement bunkers and metro stations.

The United Nations refugee agency said at least a million people have been displaced within Ukraine, while 660,000 have fled to neighbouring countries.

Russia is pressing on with its invasion despite the mounting casualties and Western sanctions that has sent the ruble plummeting. Kyiv has filed an application before the United Nations International Criminal Court, accusing Moscow of “planning acts of genocide”.