Russia to organise 'urgent evacuation' of Indian students stranded in Kharkiv, President Putin tells PM Modi; alleges Ukraine has taken them hostage

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Russian military was "doing everything possible to ensure safe removal of Indian citizens from war-torn Ukraine and their safe return to their homeland", according to a statement from the Kremlin.

Putin told Modi that the Russian side "is trying to organise an urgent evacuation of a group of Indian students from Kharkiv through the humanitarian corridor along the shortest route to Russia".

The Russian President also alleged that the Indian students are "actually taken hostage by the Ukrainian security forces, who use them as shield and in every possible way prevent them from leaving".

Meanwhile, according a statement from the PMO, PM Modi and President Putin discussed the safe evacuation of Indians from the conflict areas in Ukraine. The statement said the two leaders reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in Kharkiv city where many Indian students are stuck.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on phone today with Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation. The leaders reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in the city of Kharkiv where many Indian students are stuck," the statement said. "They discussed the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from the conflict areas," it added.

The Modi-Putin telephonic conversation, the second between them in the last six days, came amid mounting concerns in India over the safety of its citizens in Kharkiv, the second-largest city of Ukraine that has been witnessing increasing fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops.

Earlier in the day, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine has made a desperate and urgent appeal to all its nationals in Kharkiv, asking them to leave immediately. In back-to-back desperate tweets in all caps, the Indian Embassy said Indians should reach the towns of Pisochyn, Babai or Bezlyudivka latest by 6 pm local time (9.30 pm IST), on foot, if need be.

Published on: Wednesday, March 02, 2022, 11:57 PM IST