Indians released and escorted safely from Ukraine due to Russian cooperation

New Delhi/Kyiv: – The Indian foreign ministry informed that more than 17,000 Indians had left Ukraine. The foreign ministry has also denied the accusation made by the Russian officials that Indian students are being abducted to be used as human shields. Foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said that no such information had been received so far. Meanwhile, it is reported that Russia waited till the Indian students could leave Kharkiv, on Indian request, to initiate attacks on the city.

Four members of the union cabinet have been stationed in the neighbouring countries of Ukraine trying to rescue the Indians stranded in Ukraine. The Indian Airforce has also participated in repatriating Indians from Ukraine. More than 17,000 Indians have left war-torn Ukraine. The union government informed that all Indians would be back in the homeland before March 10.

Meanwhile, Russian officials had accused the Ukrainian military abducted Indian students and using them as human shields to avoid attacks by the Russian army. Earlier, reports of harassment of Indian students also had been received. In this scenario, the gravity of the Russian accusations increases further. But the Indian foreign ministry averted a dispute saying that it had not received any such information.

Prime Minister Modi had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and had appealed to hold the attacks back in Ukraine for the safety of the Indian students. Taking advantage of this, nearly a thousand Indian students could safely leave the city of Kharkiv. It is being reported that students and citizens of other countries also are waving Indian tricolours to save from Russian attacks. Russia informed that 130 buses were kept ready to transport the Indian students safely. At the same time, Ukraine is unwilling to cooperate in the safe passage of Indians and is trying to express its resentment in various ways.