African Students Use #AfricansInUkraine To Show Racism They're Facing While Trying To Flee Invasion

African residents (particularly African students) have found themselves trapped from fleeing Ukraine as Russia continues to invade it.

African students are facing difficulties leaving the Ukraine during the current Eastern Europe conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Over the weekend, posts from African residents in Ukraine went viral, documenting them being blocked from trains and barred at crossing borders.

In most social media videos, the hostility is mainly occurring at the Ukrainian-Polish border. Africans have alleged that while white Ukrainians are able to board trains and other modes of transportation, Africans are being held back from border agents and local police.

To communicate, Africans are turning to Twitter and WhatsApp to organize social media groups, according to OkayAfrica. As they attempt to leave for neighboring countries, African citizens have noted their anxieties with whether they'll be granted immunity. Many are worried that if once they do leave Ukraine, they won't be granted refugee status and be dismissed.

In a report from The Irish Times, close to 20 percent of foreign students in Ukraine are African, namely 4,000 Nigerians. To heighten awareness about being held hostage, African students and activists have been using the Twitter hashtag #AfricansInUkraine.

African officials have yet to respond to the Russian-Ukraine invasion, but last Wednesday President Joe Biden released an official statement about Russia's attack.

“President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable,” Biden said.

Under the direction of Russian President Vladmir Putin, Russian forces began a full-scale invasion on Ukraine last Thursday to halt the country from joining NATO's expansion agenda.

Read more about the conflict below.