Russia claims Indian students stranded in war-torn Ukraine have been taken as hostages

As India steps up its efforts to evacuate its citizens stranded in war-torn Ukraine, it initiated a request for safe passage from both Russia and Ukraine. Though, Russia on Wednesday claimed that Ukraine had taken Indian students hostage.

Russia's Ministry of Defense in a briefing said while Russia was trying to evacuate Indian students from Kharkiv the Ukrainian forces had taken Indians hostage.

In a statement by the ministry's official representative, Major General Igor Konashenkov said: "According to our data, in Kharkiv, the Ukrainian authorities are forcibly detaining a large group of Indian students who want to leave the Ukrainian territory and go to Belgorod."

Further, he said, "The Armed Forces are ready to take all necessary measures for the safe evacuation of Indian citizens. And send them home from the territory of Russia



with their military transport planes or Indian planes, as the Indian side proposed to do."

The statement was released hours after a purported phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. They reportedly discussed the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the conflict areas.

As per the Prime Minister's Office statement: "The two leaders reviewed the situation in Ukraine... They discussed the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the conflict areas.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said as many as 6000 Indians have been brought back. "Of the 20,000 Indians who were stranded in war-torn Ukraine, 6,000 have been brought back to the country so far and the Centre is making all efforts for the safe return of the remaining ones," he was quoted as saying by PTI.