The overall number of people escaping to other countries in the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine had spiked to over half a million, and at least 102 civilians have been killed since the Russian military entered Ukraine, as per the United Nations.
As per the statement released by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, “Over 500,000 refugees have now run from Ukraine into several other neighbouring countries.
UN officials in a statement said that over 102 civilians had been killed so far. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s permanent representative to the United Nations, placed the death toll at 352, including 16 children.
Meanwhile, long lines of cars and buses have jammed at the checkpoints of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and non-EU member Moldova as civilians continued to flee the Russian invasion.
According to UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia, “The latest and still growing count of civilians fleeing the conflict had 281,000 people entering Poland, more than 84,500 in Hungary, about 36,400 in Moldova, more than 32,500 in Romania and about 30,000 in Slovakia.”
The others have been scattered in unidentified nations, she added.
Several reports were coming that some African people fleeing Ukraine faced racism and discrimination at the border with Poland from officials on both sides.
At the same time, thousands of young African students have been studying in Ukraine, and the majority of them are from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Somalia and several other nations, drawn by the high standard of education and low costs.
Some reported being rudely stopped from crossing the border for days despite the cold and their lack of food or other supplies, even as officials let white refugees enter into the nation.
As per the Nigerian foreign minister, Geoffrey Onyeama said, he has received several reports of “Ukrainian border guards hindering the exit of Nigerian citizens”.
At the same time, the foreign minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said Ukrainian border guards had been instructed to allow all foreigners to leave.
