Reports Allege Black Residents Denied Exit from Ukraine During Russian Invasion

Multiple reports are alleging that Black residents, many of whom are African students, are facing discrimination and have been barred from leaving Ukraine after Russia’s invasion last week.

Last Friday, Dr. Ayoade Alakija — co-chair of the African Union's African Vaccine Delivery Alliance — alleged in a tweet that “Black Africans are being treated with racism and contempt in Ukraine & Poland” after Russia invaded Ukraine as part of its mission to recognize separatist sections of Ukraine as independent states.

“[Western nations] cannot ask African nations to stand in solidarity with them if they cannot display basic respect for us even in a time of war. Ignored in a pandemic and left to die in war?!! UNACCEPTABLE,” Dr. Alakija continued.

Around this time, numerous videos circulated around social media that allegedly showed Black citizens barred from leaving Ukraine via trains or other modes of transportation, potentially due to racism.

As reported by TMZ, the alleged discrimination appears to be happening at the Ukrainian-Polish border in the northwest region, in which border agents and local police are being accused of limiting the number of Black people allowed through, or restricting them entirely.

On Saturday, BBC correspondent Stephanie Hegarty wrote on Twitter that a Nigerian student alleged Ukrainian guards at the Ukraine-Poland border were preventing Black people from crossing.

"A Nigerian medical student at Poland/Ukraine border [Medyka-Shehyni] told me she has been waiting 7hrs to cross, she says border guards are stopping black people and sending them to the back of the queue, saying they have to let 'Ukrainians' through first," Hegarty wrote.

"A student I just spoke with says it was Ukrainian soldiers, not Polish border guards telling him this," she added. "Polish border force spokesperson told me Poland is allowing anyone who comes to the Ukraine border entry to Poland."

In another clip, posted to the Twitter account of @nzekiev that was also shared by TMZ, police and army officials are being accused of disallowing Black residents to leave Ukraine by drawing weapons on them.

In the clip, a number of individuals tell the officials, “We are students!”

Per a report published by Insider on Sunday, Korrine Sky, a 26-year-old medical student living in Ukraine, said African students were allegedly told there was a "Ukrainians first" policy when it came to evacuating the country.

"Some people have gone to get buses, but they're not allowing Black people basically onto the buses," she said. "They're prioritizing Ukrainians. That's what they say."

Last Friday, Percy Ohene-Yeboah, an engineering major from Ghana, told Reuters that he is currently stuck in the country and has sought refuge in the basement of a church.

"In a situation like this, you're on your own. You've got to find the best way to find refuge for yourself," he told the outlet via phone. "It's now that the reality is really hitting me. I think for me, it's a bit too late for evacuation and all those things."

On Sunday, Dr. Alakija shared a post that she received from a Polish ambassador that said Polish lawyers were at the border to help.

On Monday, the African Union released a statement saying they are “disturbed” by these reports of racism against Black individuals, and are “following closely the developments.”

“Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and in breach [of] international law,” they added.