Ukraine Kept Indian Students as hostages: Russia Claims

New Delhi: Russia on Wednesday claimed that Ukraine had taken Indian students hostage. “Russia is trying to evacuate Indian students from Kharkiv the Ukrainian forces – had taken Indians hostage,” the Russian Defence Ministry said.

As India steps up its efforts to evacuate its citizens stranded in war-torn Ukraine, it initiated a request for safe passage from Russia and Ukraine.

Amidst the evacuation process, Russia and Ukraine accused each other of holding the Indian students’ 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.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine alleged that the students have become “hostages of the Russian armed aggression.”