Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday lauded a family that helped in the evacuation of 7,457 Indian students from Ukraine under ongoing Operation Ganga amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and thanked it for 'braving the odds and working tirelessly'.
"Indebted to this family that got 7457 of our students back to safety. #OperationGanga brought together people from across regions & occupations. And, it's incredible to have seen each brave the odds & work tirelessly on mission-mode without rest -almost like a machine! Thank you," tweeted Mr Scindia.
He also informed about the evacuation of pets who along with students were evacuated from the tense area.
"Another batch of Indian students returns home to safety, along with their little companions. Glad that we were able to get them on a special @airindiain flight with a pressurised hull - a prerequisite for transporting pets. Welcome back! #OperationGanga," tweeted the Union Minister.
A growing number of stranded Indian students from war-torn Ukraine are returning with their furry friends, with some even taking risks and forgoing personal belongings in their efforts to save their pets.
A number of Indian students from Ukraine have not come alone but also brought their cats and dogs with them, refusing to leave their pets behind as the conflict in the war-torn country intensifies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent four special envoys to Ukraine's neighbouring countries from where Indians are being evacuated.
Four cabinet ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju, General VK Singh (retd), and Hardeep Singh Puri have been on the job for the last many days. A former diplomat, Hardeep Puri has been stationed in Hungary to coordinate their efforts to evacuate Indian students.
Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk -as independent entities. Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow.
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