3rd planeload of Ukrainians lands in St. John's

A third group of Ukrainians seeking refuge from the ongoing war has landed in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The plane, carrying 177 passengers according to Immigration Minister Gerry Bryne, departed from Warsaw Tuesday morning and landed in St. John's just after 7:20 p.m. NT.

Yuri Huriev was one of the first people to come off of the plane. He came from Kharkiv with his wife and four-year-old daughter, Maria. He says they've been studying and learning about their new home, and are excited to begin a new chapter in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"We know that Newfoundland and Labrador is a great place to live. Friendly people, and we're looking for a great experience here," he told reporters Tuesday.

"I want to thank you as a people, as a government, as a team behind this journey for us. This is just the beginning for us, but it's a great help. We can't appreciate it enough."

It was all smiles for Anna Severyn and her 13-year-old daughter, Yeva, who said the long flight couldn't take away from their excitement to land in St. John's.

"It's just happiness, exciting. It's very exciting," Anna said. "I'm very glad we are here. It's our new home … I think it's going to be alright."

Tuesday has been a long time coming for Sergii Plakhtii, who arrived in Newfoundland on the second flight the provincial government chartered in June. Four months later, his wife and child landed on the third charter.

"I wait for months with my family," he said with a large smile on his face.

"It's the best feeling to be together," his 15-year-old daughter, Karina, chimed in. "Really, the best feeling."

The arriving travellers come days after Russian forces bombed the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, something that has been weighing on Huriev's mind. At least 11 people were killed, while more than 60 others were injured in the attacks.

"It's definitely a stressful time for us. I can tell how hard it is for the people of Ukraine," he said.

Maruf Mahmudov, a Ukrainian refugee who arrived in Newfoundland and Labrador in June, is part of the welcoming party. He's now working within the Department of Immigration to help Ukrainian families come to Canada.

"When I'm reading this bad news about what's happening in my country, my heart is breaking and I'm trying not to think about it. But I'm thinking, 'What could happen if my girls and my wife [were] stuck there?'" Mahmudov told reporters Tuesday.