Putin, Modi discuss plight of Indian students trapped in Ukraine

Russian president orders soldiers ‘to ensure the safe exit of Indian nationals from the armed conflict zone’, says Kremlin. 

President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, held talks Wednesday with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the urgent evacuation of Indian students trapped in Kharkiv city of Ukraine, said the Kremlin. 

The Kremlin affirmed on Wednesday night that Indian students in Kharkiv had been “taken hostage” from Ukrainian security forces; they were using them as “a human shield” to “prevent them from leaving for Russian territory”.  

The Russians announced this in their readout of the phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin. Although, there was no indication of this in the Indian statement.  

The Prime Minister’s Modi Office said, “The leaders are discussing the situation in Ukraine, particularly in the city of Kharkiv where many of the Indian students are stuck. They are considering the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from the conflict zones .” 

 According to a Kremlin statement, Putin stressed that all the necessary instructions had been given. The Russian military was doing everything possible. He also had ordered Russian soldiers “to ensure the safe exit of Indian nationals from the armed conflict zone and their return to their homeland”.  

Nevertheless, according to the latest information, these students are taken hostage by the Ukrainian security forces, who is using them as a human shield and in every possible way prevent them from leaving for Russian territory. Responsibility, in this case, lies absolutely with the Kiev authorities,” it said. 

At a briefing in Moscow, the Russian defence ministry too said, “according to the information, Ukrainian authorities forcefully keeping a large group of Indian students in Kharkiv who wish to leave Ukrainian territory and go to Belgorod.” 

“In fact, they are being held as hostages and offered to leave the territory of Ukraine via Ukrainian-Polish border. They offered to go through the territory where active hostilities are taking place,” it said.

They have practically been taken hostage,” ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said during a televised briefing. 

But Indian media reports on Thursday said New Delhi had denied reports of its students being held as hostages in Ukraine. Reports added that India’s foreign ministry said it was in constant touch with Indian nationals in Ukraine. 

“We have not received any reports regarding of being an hostage situation regarding any student. We have asked for the support of the Ukrainian authorities in arranging special trains for taking out students from Kharkiv and neighbouring areas to the western part of the country,” India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. 

Edited By- Kiran Maharana

Published By- Pawan Rajput