Poonam Sharma Vats just can’t take her eyes off her 19-year-old son Bhavishya. The young man, a medical student in Ukraine, returned to India on Thursday morning amidst the ongoing Russian military aggression in the Eastern European nation. “I am very happy and relieved that my son is back safe and sound. He was initially supposed to be back on February 26,” Poonam told mid-day.

Poonam, a resident of Palam village in Delhi, said, “We are glued to him since he arrived. Several other children, tourists and students are stuck because airports are shut and flights are grounded. I pray for the stranded and helpless kids and their safety. I was initially not worried but started panicking after an advisory was issued and the Indian embassy told us to call our kids back home. There were anxious moments and fear on our minds.”