Photo: Twitter\YouTube
As Russia and Ukraine go into conflict with each other, thousands of African students have become displaced as their home embassies struggle to get them all out and to safety.
Eastern Europe is at war and the Russia and Ukraine conflict has taken center-stage in world affairs, progressing from benign, out-of-view diplomacy to open-field military attacks. Earlier this week, the world watched in shock and horror as Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an attack on the country of Ukraine.
Russia invading Ukraine can be explained from many positions. And while an oversimplification of the issue can arise, it’s not inaccurate to point that Russia is going through these lengths to keep Ukraine out of NATO’s expansion agenda. Thousands of Ukrainian residents are now forced to flee their homes and leave their lives behind.
On top of the stress of having to grab your life and go, is the added anxiety of being a foreigner in a country, seeking refugee amongst thousands. With little-to-no concrete communication or solutions from their respective embassies, thousands of African students are stranded in a war-torn Ukraine.
Civilian flights to Ukraine have been put on hold. As Russia continues to get caught up in a post-Soviet unification pipe dream, taking a firm stand against the West, the implications on the rest of the world is becoming evident. Trying to navigate these tensions in Ukraine is an African diaspora community, ranging from students to migrant workers.
Through social media apps Twitter and WhatsApp, students are organizing themselves into groups according to the city they’re in. The goal for many right now is to get out of Ukraine and in to one of the neighboring countries.
Students are reporting a lot of anxiety over this move to the borders as some embassies have not communicated with their citizens whether or not they will be granted refugee status when there, and some fear being turned away.
Many Africans have also reported spouts of anti-Black racism while trying to find shelter and survive. Read more.
