Over 3,000 Indian students kept hostage in Ukraine, says Vladimir Putin
New Delhi, Mar 3: Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged claimed that 3000 Indians have been kept hostage in Ukraine.
He also claimed that China's citizens have been kept as hostages.
However, India on Thursday rejected claims by both Russia and Ukraine that Indian students are being held hostage in the besieged city of Kharkiv and said it has requested the support of Ukrainian authorities in arranging special trains for taking them out from the conflict zone and neighbouring areas.
The Russian claim figured in a readout issued by Kremlin that mentioned the key points made by Putin during a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening.
"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," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a written response to media queries on the matter.