New Delhi: President Vladimir Putin has promised, Russian troops to help evacuate Indians stranded in war-torn Ukraine. Putin confirmed this during a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night.

Putin said he had instructed the military to ensure the safety of Indians and to expel them. The move is to immediately deport students trapped in war zones to Russia and India. Russia will use its own military or aircraft to transport. Russia, meanwhile, has accused  Ukrainian military of holding Indian students hostage and using them as human weapons.

Russia has deployed a large military force to Kiev. Kilometers of tankers have been deployed around Kiev. Russia is preparing a similar strategy for another major city, Kharkiv where shelling is intense.

Foreign affairs spokeswoman Arindam Bagchi claimed that 17,000 Indians have left Ukraine so far and that there are no Indians left in Kiev. He said that 15 flights would return to India from Ukraine's border countries within next 24 hours.

With the complete closure of Indian Embassy in Kiev, Liviv will be new location for Embassy. All Indian Embassy officials have arrived in Liviv from where rescue efforts will be coordinated.