The South African Ambassador to Ukraine Andre Groenewald says measures have been put in place to help South African students stranded in war-ridden Ukraine.
Scores of African students attempting to escape the country say they were stopped, harassed, and battered at the country’s border with Poland.
Ukrainian police have also been reported to have stopped foreign nationals from exiting the country. Groenewald says they will leave no stone unturned in helping students evacuate Ukraine. The Ambassador added “With regards to the students I am starting to be more optimistic now, many of the students we’ve been able to get, especially with train transport into the border. Last night we’ve started moving them through the border on the Polish side and we understand that the facility on the Polish side has food. They are getting food, clothes, they are getting a sim card. It’s a scary situation but we are here and helping and supporting in any way we can.”
As the war with Ukraine and Russia rages, air travel and public transport in the country have come to a halt. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) say South Africans, including students, stuck in Ukraine are urged to seek refuge in Poland.
The South African Embassy in Ukraine on Sunday urged South Africans to avoid the Polish borders because officials there were inundated with people seeking to flee Ukraine.
