Russia says its buses ready to evacuate Indian students, foreigners from Ukraine
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United Nations: Russia on Friday informed the UN Security Council that its buses are ready at crossing points to evacuate stranded Indian students and other foreign nationals at Kharkiv and Sumy amidst the raging conflict in the East European country.
At least 1,000 Indians - 700 in Sumy and 300 in Kharkiv - are still stranded in conflict zones in eastern Ukraine cities.
The 15-nation UN Security Council held an emergency session on Friday, called by Albania, France, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, following Russia's attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the biggest in Europe.
During the meeting, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that the Russian military is doing everything to ensure the peaceful evacuation of foreign nationals stranded in Ukraine.
He alleged that Ukraine nationalists were keeping over 3,700 Indian citizens "by force" in Kharkiv and Sumy cities of eastern Ukraine.
"The number of foreign citizens whom Ukrainian nationals are keeping by force is shocking. Kharkiv - 3,189 nationals of India, up to 2,700 nationals of Vietnam, 202 nationals of China. Sumy - 576 nationals of India, 101 nationals of Ghana, 121 nationals of China," Vassily Nebenzia told the UN Security Council.
"In the Belgorod region of Russia, 130 comfortable buses have been waiting (and standing ready) since 6:00 am today at the crossing points 'Nekhoteevka' and 'Sudja' ready to go to Kharkiv and Sumy to evacuate the Indian students and other foreign nationals," he said.
The Russian envoy said that the checkpoints are equipped to provide temporary accommodation, space for rest, and hot food. There are also mobile medical stations with a stock of medications.
"Everyone evacuated will then be taken to Belgorod, and from there transported to their homeland by air," he said.
In New Delhi, responding to reports of Indian students being held hostage in Ukraine, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said India has not received any reports of any hostage situation regarding Indian students.
"We have not received any reports of any hostage situation regarding any student. We have requested the 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," Mr Bagchi said.
India has been coordinating effectively with the countries in the region including Russia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova. A large number of Indian nationals have been evacuated from Ukraine in the last few days, he noted.
