Ukraine-Russia Tensions: 242 Indian Students Return Home Safely

In the midst of escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions, 242 Indian students arrived safely in India late on Tuesday evening at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport and were reunited with their parents, after India began evacuation operations for Indian citizens living in Ukraine and its surrounding areas. India deployed Dreamliner B-787 aircraft to carry out this particular operation, which has resulted in flights from Kharkiv, Ukraine, to New Delhi becoming operational.

"The situation is typical in the region where I dwell," said Nirav Patil, a first-year MBBS student studying in Ukraine. While the institution has begun online education, there is no need to be concerned as there was previously." Krishna, another student, stated, "I live 900 kilometres from the Ukraine-Russia border."We are a group of five to six Gujarat-based students. Our parents were becoming increasingly concerned. This is why we were forced to return to India."

Several government officials were also brought to the Delhi airport by the Rajasthan government, as did students from Rajasthan who had returned from Ukraine; the state administration is busy planning to transport them safely back home while covering their travel expenses. For the time being, eight sudents and their parents have been requested to remain at the Rajasthan Bhawan. However, numerous Indian students have not returned home on an Air India trip.

Air India said on February 19 that it will conduct flights between India and Ukraine on February 22, 24, and 26. Air tickets can be purchased through Air India's booking offices, website, call centres, and authorised travel brokers. Additional flights from Kyiv to Delhi will run on February 25, 27 (two flights), and March 6, according to the Indian embassy in Ukraine. At the same time, many students who have returned to India are concerned about their education, and others have reported seeing a tank deployed in a conflict in the place where they live.