Rishabh Kaushik, the engineering student who was stuck with his pet dog ‘Malibu’ in war-struck Ukraine, has safely returned to India. Both Rishabh and Malibu crossed the Ukraine-Hungary border and landed in India via Budapest (Hungary) on Friday.

Rishabh had insisted on not leaving Ukraine without his pet dog, who he rescued last February in Kharkiv. In his video that went viral over social media, Rishabh had talked about the difficulties that he was facing while trying to get Malibu along with him while also urging the government to allow NOC (No Objection Certificate). Following his appeal, the Government of India issued a memorandum facilitating a one time relaxation for Indians bringing back pets from Ukraine.

A special flight under Operation Ganga carried 219 Indian Nationals including Rishabh from Budapest, Hungary on Thursday.