Africans who had been living in Ukraine say they were stuck for days at crossings into neighboring European Union countries, held up by the Ukrainian authorities, who pushed them to the ends of long lines and even beat them while letting Ukrainians through.
Most are Ukrainians, but some are students or migrant workers from Africa (and other regions) who are also desperate to escape. At least 660,000 people overall have fled Ukraine in the days following the start of Russia’s invasion, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said.
It was absolute chaos. We were treated like animals. There are still thousands of people stranded there. BIacks were not allowed to board the train – Emmanuel Nwulu, student, Nigeria
The Ukrainian border guards were not letting us through. They were beating us with sticks. – Chinenye Mbagwu, 24, Doctor, Nigeria
The African Union and President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria have condemned the treatment of Africans fleeing Ukraine, as reports appeared on social media about border guards hindering them from leaving. Africans have also reported being barred from boarding trains headed to the border. “Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist” and violate international law, the African Union said.
NY Times
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