Complaints continue to pour in that Indian students and other nationals are being prevented from crossing into Poland and Slovakia to escape Ukraine.
A Nigerian student who spent four days trying to leave Kyiv backed the allegations, telling the Daily Mail other people of color have had the same experience.
He says guards have turned back ‘Indians, Africans and Middle Easterners from crossing into Poland.
‘The war made me realize that if there are human beings, there are others that are regarded differently to others,’ Alexander Somto Orah said.
Orah’s comments are similar to those made by Asian Indians.
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The Economic Times reports Indian students traveled hundreds of kilometers from their colleges and waited in line for hours only to be turned back from the Polish and Slovakian borders.
Many have reached out to Indian media outlets to share their plight. They accused Ukrainian army personnel of actually assaulting some of the students.
According to the Indian Express, the stranded students are enduring freezing temperatures and have resorted to burning trash for heat.
“There are just queues and queues of Indian students here but Polish authorities are not putting a stamp on our passports,” said one. “They are allowing Ukrainians to cross over but not us. The situation here is horrendous, to say the least. The Indian embassy officials are not responding to our calls. No one is helping us… no one. Where should we go?”
Poland’s ambassador to India, Adam Burakowski, had said last week Polish authorities had agreed to let students in without visas, reported Times of India.
“Indian Nationals are advised to travel in groups, and in case of individuals, you are advised to identify other fellow Indian nationals and travel together with them,” said a statement from the Indian embassy. “Preference at railroad stations is being given to women, children and elderly people.”
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