PM Modi’s personal ties with leaders of Ukraine's neighbours made evacuation possible: Adityanath

The UP CM interacted with 52 students evacuated from Ukraine and their parents at his official residence

Interacting with students who returned from Ukraine, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday claimed that “such a successful and systematic operation” to evacuate Indian citizens was never undertaken in the past.

He said it was due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "personal" relations with Ukraine's neighbouring countries, including Romania and Hungary, that these countries had opened their borders only to Indian citizens, which led to the safe return of students.

In a meeting with 52 students evacuated from Ukraine and their parents at his official residence, 5, Kalidas Marg, the chief minister said it is only because of their faith in the Narendra Modi government that their safe return has been possible.

"Citizens of other countries trapped in Ukraine are forced to return home at their own expense but the Indian government is bringing back its citizens at the government’s expense. Never before had such a successful and so systematic return operation been done, as it is happening today," Chief Minister Adityanath said.

The chief minister said a total of 2,397 students of Uttar Pradesh are pursuing medical and other courses in Ukraine.

Of them, 1,400 students have been brought back safely till Saturday evening, he said.