Poland Allows Indian Evacuees From Ukraine To Enter Without Visa

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai in the evening.

Ambassador of Poland to India Adam Burakowski on Sunday said that Poland is allowing Indian students who escape from Russian aggression in Ukraine to enter the country without any visa. Earlier, reports had suggested that preparations are being made on the Poland-Ukraine border to allow Indian students to enter Poland for onward journey to India.

The government has been engaged on a war-footing level to evacuate stranded Indian nationals in Ukraine. The Indian embassies in Ukraine, Hungary and Poland have been issuing advisories to the citizens, assuring them full support. There are approximately 18,000 Indians present in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a third evacuation flight carrying 240 Indians who were stranded in Ukraine arrived in Delhi from Budapest on Sunday. The flight arrived a few hours after Air India’s second evacuation flight from Romanian capital Bucharest carrying 250 Indian nationals landed at Delhi airport.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia welcomed the evacuees at the airport by handing out roses to them.

The nation joins me in thanking the crew of @airindiain for steering the wheel of this mission. Proud of you! #OperationGanga pic.twitter.com/ESJGydqAAG

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) February 27, 2022

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai in the evening.

Suriya Subhash from Maharashtra’s Solapur, who was among the 250 Indian citizens brought back on the flight from Romanian capital Bucharest, said she was relieved to be back in her country after a “hectic journey”. “The situation is very bad there (Ukraine). People are stranded,” she said.

Many students, who were brought back to India, were worried about their future education prospects due to the Russia offensive in Ukraine. Vipin Ad, a fifth-year MBBS student at the Bukovinian State Medical University, told PTI that he and his friends had to wait for approximately 12 hours at the Ukraine-Romania border on Friday as there were various procedures to complete.

Ad, who is from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, said he had to walk around 5 km along the border area as there was a massive traffic jam with people rushing out from the country.

He said the university has announced a two-week holiday for students, after which only online classes will be held and expressed hope that he will be able to complete his final year on time.

The returnees belonged to different states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.

They thanked the Indian government for evacuating them and saving their lives.

“The situation is not good in Ukraine. We are worried about our studies. But it is good to be back. I thank the government for bringing us back,” said Susmita Rathore, a first year medical student. Aishwarya Pathak, a first year student of MBBS at the Bukovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi, said that she and her classmates crossed the Ukraine-Romania border on Saturday night.