Russia repeats Indian student 'abduction' claim, says over 3000 hostage in Kharkiv

"3,000 Indian students have been kept hostage in Kharkiv, 576 in the city of Sumy," Putin said.

New Delhi, First Published Mar 4, 2022, 10:45 AM IST

Hours after India's External Affairs Ministry set the record straight over Vladimir Putin's claim about Ukrainians abducting Indian students in Kharkiv, the Russian President has once again made the claim, this time with figures.

Putin, in a video address, said that thousands of students who are studying in Ukrainian colleges have been held hostage. "For more than a day, over 3,000 Indian students have been kept hostage in Kharkiv and they continue keeping them, including 576 in the city of Sumy," Putin said.

Putin further said that "Neo-Nazis" had opened fire on Chinese students who wanted to leave Kharkiv -- Ukraine's second-largest city -- and injured two of them.

Also Read: India issues dos and don'ts for nationals stranded in Kharkiv

He also claimed that "Ukraine is trying to delay the evacuation of foreigners due to which they are threatened."

The MEA had on Thursday, while briefing media persons on the progress of Operation Ganga, denied receiving any report of any hostage situation involving Indian students.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that India had sought the help of Ukrainian authorities to arrange special trains to take students out of Kharkiv to neighbouring areas to western Ukraine.

Also Read: About 18000 Indians have left Ukraine since India's first advisory: Govt

Interestingly, within hours of Putin's fresh remarks, news agency Associated Press cited Russian and Ukrainian officials as saying that the two sides had arrived on a temporary deal to arrange for safe passages to evacuate civilians and deliver humanitarian supplies.

About 4,000 students were stuck in the war zones and 1,000 have left from Kharkiv to Pesochin on the day a six-hour safe passage was given by the Russian armed forces.

The MEA has said a few hundred Indians are believed to be still stuck in Kharkiv and India is closely following developments in the city along with the situation in other conflict zones in eastern Ukraine.

Also Read: Exposed: Vladimir Putin's well-laid Ukraine invasion plans

India's defence ministry too had issued a set of guidelines for nationals stranded in Ukraine's Kharkiv. The guidelines urged Indians to form groups of 10 people each and appoint a coordinator and deputy coordinator who would be the one-point contact with the control rooms set up by the embassy and New Delhi. The defence ministry advisory also urged them to keep an emergency kit and learn a few Russian words for their protection.

Last Updated Mar 4, 2022, 10:45 AM IST