Russia ready to evacuate Indian students, other foreign nationals from Ukraine: Envoy tells UNSC

Russia has informed the UN Security Council that Russian buses are ready at crossing points to go to the eastern Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Sumy to evacuate Indian students and other foreign nationals who are stranded there amidst the raging conflict in the East European countryThe 15nation Council held an emergency session on Friday called by Albania France Ireland Norway the United Kingdom and the United States following Russias attack on Ukraines Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant the biggest in EuropeDuring the meeting Russias 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 UkraineHe alleged that Ukraine nationalists were keeping over 3700 Indian citizens by force in Kharkiv and Sumy cities of eastern UkraineTerrorists do not let civilians leave cities This impacts not only Ukrainians but foreigners as well The number of foreign citizens whom Ukrainian nationals are keeping by force is shocking Kharkiv 3189 nationals of India up to 2700 nationals of Vietnam 202 nationals of China Sumy 576 nationals of India 101 nationals of Ghana 121 nationals of China Nebenzia told the CouncilIn the Belgorod region of Russia 130 comfortable buses have been waiting and standing ready since 600 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 saidThe 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 medicationsEveryone evacuated will then be taken to Belgorod and from there transported to their homeland by air he saidIn 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 studentsWe 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 Bagchi saidIndia 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 notedWe appreciate the help extended by the Ukrainian authorities to make this possible We thank Ukraines western neighbours in receiving Indian nationals and for accommodating them while they waited for flights to take them back home Bagchi addedMeanwhile during the Council meeting Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said while the UN Security Council discusses the nuclear dimension of an unfolding conflict it must acknowledge that there is a pressing humanitarian crisis confronting us in Ukraine where safety and security of innocent civilians including several thousand Indian nationals in particular students are at stakeIn the first Indian casualty in the war in Ukraine a 21yearold fourthyear medical student at the Kharkiv National Medical University Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar from Karnataka was killed in shelling in Kharkiv city on Tuesday morningUkraines Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told the Russian envoy Nebenzia to please make an appeal to the armed forces of Russia to ensure a safe corridor to allow foreign students leave the areas of concern Stop spreading the lies You know very well what is going on there if you are indeed in contact with your capitalNebenzia told the Council that it is not Russian troops that pose a threat to the people of Ukraine but Ukrainian nationalistsThey keep the population of some big cities as hostages they carry out acts of sabotage and provocationsand then afterwards they attempt to blame Russia for that he saidNebenzia accused Western nations of giving protection and patronage to radicals and extremists in UkraineIn an apparent reference to those nations in the Council that have abstained or not voted against UN resolutions condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine Ukraine Ambassador Kyslytsya said and still shamefully there are a handful of those around us or among us rather who do nothing Act now or it might be too late not only for Ukraine but for all of youIndia abstained twice in the UN Security Council on resolutions on Russias aggression against Ukraine The 193member UN General Assembly this week overwhelmingly voted to condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine and demanded that Moscow completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine India abstained on the resolution which received 141 votes in favour five against and a total of 35 abstentionsltpThis story has 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