Russian military says trying to evacuate Indians from Kharkiv as PM Modi speaks to Putin

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Amid tensions with Ukraine, Russian Ambassador-designate Denis Alipov on Wednesday said it is working "intensely" to create a "humanitarian corridor" for safe passage to Russian territory of Indian nationals stuck in Kharkiv, Sumy and other conflict zones in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia also said that Ukraine is taking Indian students hostage.

"Russia is trying to organize an urgent evacuation of a group of Indian students from Kharkiv through humanitarian corridor. At the same time, these students are actually taken hostage by the Ukrainian security forces", said Russian reports.

At a media briefing, Russian Ambassador-designate Denis Alipov said Russia is in touch with India on the issue of the safety of the stranded Indians in Ukraine and that the safe passage will be put into place soon.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders discussed the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the conflict areas.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on phone today with Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation. The leaders reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in the city of Kharkiv where many Indian students are stuck," an official statement said.

Earlier in the day, India asked its nationals to leave Kharkiv urgently to three nearby places "even on foot", while Russia promised to create "humanitarian corridors" for evacuation of Indians from the conflict zones.

Prime Minister Modi held yet another high-level meeting on Wednesday night on the Ukraine crisis as the four union ministers sent to Ukraine's neighbouring countries coordinated the stepped-up rescue efforts with the deployment of planes by the Indian Air Force.

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