The government today denied reports that Indian students were being held as “hostage” in Ukraine, saying it was in constant touch with Indian nationals in the war-torn country.
“Our embassy in Ukraine is in continuous touch with Indian nationals in Ukraine. We note that with the cooperation of the Ukrainian authorities, many students have left Kharkiv yesterday. We have not received reports of any hostage situation regarding any student,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
He said India has requested 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 embattled nation.
The clarification came after Russia claimed that Ukrainian forces were keeping a large group of Indian students as “hostages” in the eastern Ukraine’s second largest city of Kharkiv, which is virtually under Russian control. The Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, said the students from India, Pakistan and China have become hostages of the Russian armed aggression in Kharkiv and Sumy.