The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on the Russian Federation to immediately cease its hostilities in Kharkiv and Sumy so that we can arrange the evacuation of the civilian population, including foreign students, to safer Ukrainian cities.

There are students from India, Pakistan, China and other counties who cannot leave because of the indiscriminate shelling and barbaric missile strikes by the Russian Armed Forces on residential areas and civilian infrastructure.

The Government of Ukraine stands ready to assist foreign students to relocate from Kharkiv and Sumy should Russia commit to a ceasefire. Attempting to arrange evacuations through cities that are being subjected to Russian bombing and missile strikes is extremely dangerous.

We urgently call on the governments of India, Pakistan, China and other counties whose students have become hostages of the Russian armed aggression in Kharkiv and Sumy, to demand from Moscow that it allows the opening of a humanitarian corridor to other Ukrainian cities.

The Ukrainian government is committed to providing foreign students with all necessary assistance to enable them to return safely to their home countries.