Gov't Urges Kenyans in Ukraine to Urgently Consider Leaving

The government has urged Kenyans living and studying in Ukraine to urgently consider leaving the country in the wake of Russia’s invasion.

Through the Kenyan Embassy in Vienna, Austria, the government further advised those wishing to stay in Ukraine to exercise increased caution.

“All Kenyans living or studying in Ukraine are hereby advised to urgently consider leaving and stay away until further notice,” reads the statement from the embassy.

On Thursday, Kwale Woman Representative Zulekha Hassan asked the Foreign Affairs Ministry to give a statement outlining the measures being taken to bring back Kenyans caught up in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Hassan says some Kenyans working and studying in the Eastern European nation are trapped there and need to be evacuated due to the unfolding humanitarian crisis. She called on the government to consider evacuating its citizens to safer regions within Ukraine or to the neighboring nations.

Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Thursday after President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent states.

Ukraine says at least 137 people, including civilians and soldiers, have been killed since Russia launched the attacks in the early hours of Thursday.

United Nations estimates suggest that more than 100,000 Ukrainians have already fled from their homes.