Russian buses to travel to Eastern Ukraine for evacuation of Indian students

Russia told the United Nations Security Council that Russian buses are ready at junctions to travel to the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy in eastern Ukraine to rescue the Indian students and other foreign nationals who are trapped there, amid the outbreak of conflict in Eastern European country.

15-nation council held an emergency meeting:

On Friday, the 15-nation council held an emergency meeting convened by Albania, France, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States following Russia's attack on Europe's largest Ukrainian Zaporizhya nuclear power plant.

Statement made by Permanent Representative of Russia:

"The Russian military is doing everything to ensure the peaceful evacuation of foreign nationals stranded in Ukraine", said Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia during the meeting.

He claimed that Ukrainian nationalists had forcibly detained more than 3,700 Indian citizens in the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy in eastern Ukraine.

Terrorists are not letting civilians leave the city:

Terrorists are not letting civilians leave the city which is affecting not only Ukrainians but also foreigners. The number of foreigners detained by Ukrainians is horrifying. Kharkov 3,189 Indians, up to 2,700 Vietnamese, 202 Chinese. A total of 576 Indians, 101 Ghanaians, 121 Chinese, told Nebenzia to the Council.

In the Belgorod region of Russia, 130 comfortable buses are waiting at the border crossing between Nekhoteevka and Suja from 6 am, going to Kharkov and Sumy to evacuate Indian students and other foreigners, he added

Checkpoints being equipped to provide temporary shelter:

Checkpoints are being equipped to provide temporary shelter, break rooms and hot food. There are also mobile emergency stations with drug supplies, said the Russian envoy.

"Everyone evacuated will then be taken to Belgorod, and from there transported to their homeland by air", he added.

Response from New Delhi Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi:

In response to reports of Indian students being held hostage in Ukraine, New Delhi Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said India had not received reports of hostage status on Indian students.

"We have not received any reports of any hostage situation regarding any student. 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," said Bagchi.

Bagchi also said that India has been working effectively with countries in the region such as Russia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova. Recently, many Indians have been evacuated from Ukraine.

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