KENYANS FLEEING UKRAINE ARE BEING SUPPORTED- GERMAN EMBASSY

The German Embassy in Nairobi has refuted claims that Kenyans and other Africans fleeing Ukraine face discrimination during their evacuation.

The embassy said in a series of tweets on Tuesday that Africans fleeing the terror-torn country had already arrived in Germany, despite claims that they were having difficulty entering European Union territory at German borders.

“As EU member states, we all work on quick and pragmatic solutions for everyone fleeing the violence perpetrated by Russia in Ukraine. Africans fleeing the Ukraine have already arrived in Germany and are being provided with support,” read the tweets.

While condemning any type of discrimination against Africans, the embassy further stated that they are working on unofficial visas to people seeking visas amid the Russian invasion into Ukraine.

“We strongly condemn any type of discrimination, no matter by whom or under which circumstance.”

“We apply unbureaucratic solutions to anyone who needs a visa in these dramatic circumstances.” To our knowledge, these incidents are individual ones in an ongoing dramatic humanitarian crisis of the Russian President Putin’s making,” it added.

There have been reports of apparent discrimination against Africans, with Ukrainians being allowed to board trains leaving the country while Africans, primarily students, were denied.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said a total of 79 Kenyans have been evacuated from Ukraine, and that all the registered Kenyans who were in Ukraine are safe.

This was after Kenya’s government negotiated unrestricted entry for Kenyans into neighbouring EU countries.

74 Kenyan students had crossed into Poland as of February 28, with four more in Romania and Hungary.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, those in Poland were in Warsaw, Krakovets, and Katowice.

One student has already returned to the country, while four others have declined to be evacuated, citing personal reasons.

According to reports, more than 500,000 Ukrainians have escaped the Russian invasion so far.