Back from Ukraine: Tears and smiles as students reunite with families

As Russian invasion into Ukraine has left its major cities, including its capital Kyiv, under siege, India has launched ‘Operation Ganga’ to bring back its citizens stuck in the war-torn country. So far, six evacuation flights have been operated flying back more than 1,000 Indians, mostly students, from Ukraine. In pic, a mother receives her daughter after she returned from Ukraine and reached GMDC building, Ahmedabad.

India has also set up 24×7 control centres to assist in the evacuation of Indians through the border crossing points with Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic. In pic, parents greet their children, evacuated from crisis-hit Ukraine, upon their arrival at the airport in Bengaluru, Sunday, Feb 27, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Thousands of Indians, especially students studying medicine in Ukraine, have been stuck in the country since it closed its airspace as a security measure after Russia launched “special military operations”. An Indian student reunites with family after a special evacuation flight touched down at Delhi airport at 3 am on Sunday.

A student being hugged by a family member on her return from Ukraine, in Surat, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Parents greet their children, evacuated from crisis-hit Ukraine, upon their arrival at the airport, in Chennai, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. An Air India flight carrying Indian nationals from Ukraine landed at Mumbai airport after taking off from the Romanian capital Bucharest. (PTI Photo)

Parents greet their children, evacuated from crisis-hit Ukraine, upon their arrival at the airport, in Chennai, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Family members get emotional as they receive a student who returned from Ukraine and reached GMDC building, Ahmedabad on Sunday. Students who belong to Gujarat who returned from War hit Ukraine on Saturday night at Mumbai, reached Ahmedabad by road on Sunday afternoon in a special bus arranged by Gujarat state.

A student being hugged by a family member on her return from Ukraine, in Ahmedabad, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2022. Air India flights are evacuating Indian nationals from war-torn Ukraine. (PTI Photo)

An Indian student with her family members, after being evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, in Moradabad, Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. (PTI Photo)

An Indian student with her family members, after being evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, on her arrival at the Kochi International Airport, Sunday, February 27, 2022. (PTI Photo)(PTI02_27_2022_000232B)

A family member offers sweets to a student on her return from war-ravaged Ukraine on Sunday.

Indian nationals board a special Air India flight, evacuating Indians from war-torn Ukraine, in Budapest. (PTI Photo)