Ukraine Police Stop People Fleeing, SA Citizens Stranded, Russians in JHB Join Protest of Putin's Invasion
- Russians in Johannesburg joined South Africans in protesting against Russia's invasion of Ukraine
- A group of South Africans are stranded in Ukraine because the police are preventing them from leaving and borders have been closed
- While South Africans in Ukraine are waiting to be granted an evacuation order, Hungary has offered to take in those who can get there
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Briefly News on your News Feed!
JOHANNESBURG - Yesterday (27 February), a group of people protested in Sandton, Johannesburg against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They included Russians who are living in South Africa and do not support the government's decision to start a war with their neighbour.
"We are Russians but we feel ashamed for this unjust war, and we want to express that we don't support this war," one of the Russian protestors said.
An organisers and associate professor at the University of Johannesburg, Alexei Oskolski, said that Ukraine must receive political support from South Africa. Oskolski added that President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine could affect Europe as a whole, News24 reports.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans in Ukraine try to flee, get stopped by police
South African citizens in Ukraine were advised to try to get to Poland, as the embassy there would assist them in returning home. However, they have now been warned of Ukrainian police stationed at the Polish border who are preventing South Africans from leaving Ukraine.
PAY ATTENTION: Never miss breaking news – join Briefly News' Telegram channel!
According to SABC News, a group member, Kelebogile Makoro, posted online about her ordeal in trying to cross the Ukraine-Poland border. Makoro said that she was shoved by the police and left to wait outside in the cold while Ukrainians were allowed to cross the border.
The reason why South Africans are not being prioritised is that there has been no evacuation order for South African citizens from Ukraine, but Ukrainians do have an evacuation order. Hungary has responded by offering refuge to South Africans who want to leave Ukraine.
South Africans react to the plight of fellow citizens in Ukraine
@CharlottEliseW said:
"Please also look out for other Africans, we need everyone to come back home safely!"
@Mtactic22 shared:
"The borders are closed and so is the airspace. Many nationals from different countries are still trapped in Ukraine."
@Vuvu_M2 said:
@k_gaborone asked:
"What were/are you doing there?"
@AnnStew71348302 remarked:
"Oh my goodness! I hope you and all fellow Saffas are okay!"
@nickhedley believes:
Elon Musk grants Ukraine access to SpaceX internet service Starlink
Speaking of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Briefly News recently reported that South African-born billionaire Elon Musk has granted Ukraine access to his cutting edge internet service, Starlink.
The internet service runs off Musk's SpaceX satellites. Ukraine Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov asked Musk for access to the revolutionary internet service in a tweet and the answer was yes.
Musk was really quick to agree and went even further by promising to deliver additional equipment required for people to access Starlink.
Source: Briefly News
