NEW Delhi today denied Russian claims that Ukraine is holding Indian students hostage in Kharkiv, and instead thanked Ukraine for help in evacuations from the embattled city.

“We note that with the cooperation of the Ukrainian authorities, many students have left Kharkiv yesterday,” said India’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi.

“We have not received any report of any hostage situation regarding any student.”

New Delhi’s declaration comes after Russia said Indian students in Kharkiv are being used as a “human shield” by Ukrainian security forces.

“These students have already been, in effect, taken hostage by the Ukrainian power agencies that are using them as a human shield and doing everything to prevent their leaving for Russia,” said the Kremlin in a statement, following a video call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday.

“The Kyiv authorities are fully responsible for this,” it added, saying Putin told Modi that Moscow is trying to organise the evacuation of Indian students from Kharkiv via a humanitarian corridor.

Russia’s Defence Ministry also said Ukrainian authorities are holding a group of Indian students by force in Kharkiv, with ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov telling a televised briefing: “They have practically been taken hostage.”

A brief statement from Modi’s office after his call with Putin said “many Indian students are stuck” in the city, and that the two men discussed their evacuation.

Bagchi noted today: “A large number of Indian nationals has been evacuated from Ukraine in the last few days.”

“We appreciate the help extended by the Ukrainian authorities to make this possible.”

Before Russia invaded Ukraine last week, there were more than 20,000 Indians in Ukraine. Around 3,000 remain, mostly in Kharkiv.

The country’s second city has come under intense shelling by Russian forces, with police and university buildings bombarded and government offices reduced to rubble.

Among those killed was an Indian student on Tuesday.

India has urged Russia and Ukraine to cease hostilities, but stopped short of condemning Moscow’s invasion.

The South Asian nation again abstained in a United Nations resolution deploring Russia’s actions yesterday. – AFP, March 3, 2022.