India denies reports of students being held 'hostage' in Kharkiv

'A large number of Indian nationals have been evacuated from Ukraine in the last few days,' said a ministry spokesperson

A Staff Reporter

Published: Thu 3 Mar 2022, 10:41 AM

India on Thursday denied reports that its students were being held 'hostage' in Ukraine.

"We have not received reports of any hostage situation regarding any student," said Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.

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"We have requested 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."

Bagchi's statement follows media reports that Ukrainian forces were holding several Indian students hostage in Kharkiv, in the eastern part of the country, which is virtually under Russian control.

"Our Embassy in Ukraine is in continuous touch with Indian nationals in Ukraine," said Bagchi.

"We note that with the cooperation of the Ukrainian authorities, many students have left Kharkiv yesterday."

India has been coordinating effectively with the countries in the region, including Russia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova.

"A large number of Indian nationals have been evacuated from Ukraine in the last few days," said the spokesperson.

"We appreciate the help extended by the Ukrainian authorities to make this possible. We thank Ukraine's western neighbours in receiving Indian nationals and for accommodating them while they waited for flights to take them back home."

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Some media reports quoted a Russian military spokesperson saying that Ukrainian authorities were forcibly keeping a large group of Indian students in Kharkiv.

"In fact, they are being held as hostages," said the spokesperson.

"Russian armed forces are ready to take all necessary measures for the safe evacuation of the Indian citizens. And send them home from the Russian territory with its own military transport planes or Indian planes, as the Indian side proposed to do," he added.