India urges Ukraine-Russia for a local ceasefire, says without it evacuation difficult

"This is a conflict zone and we don't see a safe and secure way to reach there. I will ask the parties concerned to have a local ceasefire so that we can go to the buses if that is the suggested route," he added while saying that "It is a good step but the most difficult step is to take the students through the conflict zones to the buses. We are in touch with both sides", says MEA spokesperson.

New Delhi: India on Friday asked the Russian as well as the Ukrainian sides for a local ceasefire for the safe evacuation of Indians including students to reach the buses if that is the suggested route. This comes after Russia said it has arranged 130 buses to evacuate Indians from Kharkiv, Sumy.

Reacting to this, India's external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, during the press briefing said, "These buses are 50-60 km away from where the students are. They are frankly too far away for them to just walk and take it".

"This is a conflict zone and we don't see a safe and secure way to reach there. I will ask the parties concerned to have a local ceasefire so that we can go to the buses if that is the suggested route," he added while saying that "It is a good step but the most difficult step is to take the students through the conflict zones to the buses. We are in touch with both sides".

Meanwhile, once again refuting Russia's claim that a large number of Indian students continue to remain hostage in a train station in Kharkiv, MEA said, "We are reiterating that we are not aware of any Indian being held, hostage". "They are facing difficulty due to security reasons, particularly in Kharkiv, Ukraine, but no hostage situation", MEA spokesperson Bagchi added.

On Thursday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a large number of Indian students continue to remain hostage in a train station in Kharkiv. On the other hand, Ukraine on Wednesday alleged that the students have become hostages of the Russian armed aggression.

Putin's comment on Indian students held hostage came hours after India said that its plans to evacuate nationals from the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv were disrupted as fighting in the city had resumed after a brief pause during Wednesday. Further, MEA spox Arindam Bagchi told reporters today during the briefing that the highest attention is on eastern Ukraine, particularly Kharkiv and Pisochin.

"We have managed to get some buses there. 5 buses already operational, more buses later in the evening; 900-1000 Indians stranded in Pisochin & 700+ in Sumy. We are concerned about Sumy", the MEA spokesperson added.

He said that over 20,000 Indians have left the Ukraine border since India issued our advisories. There are more people, but it's reassuring to see that these many people have left Ukraine, he stated.

India had requested the Ukrainian authorities for special trains but hasn't heard anything yet. Meanwhile, India is arranging buses, the Ministry said.