[imagesource: Twitter / @worldwrong3]

There are countless powerful images that sum up what’s happening in Ukraine, but the above one has clearly struck a nerve.

It has nothing to do with South Africans in the Eastern European country, however.

On that front, spare a thought for those trapped as the Russian invasion continues.

The attack began on Thursday morning (February 24) and it wasn’t long before reports emerged of South African students being woken by explosions.

Vutlhari Mtonga, a medical student in Kharkiv, told IOL they had been told to evacuate their homes, “but we do not have a clear instruction or direction on where we should go.”

Kurhula Nicolleen-Jean Mushwana, also in Kharkiv, said they were terrified:

“When we walked into the subway, it was so scary. There are old people here and many children, including newborn babies. This space is going to get fuller. There are no heating systems here, and it is so cold,” said Mushwana.

“We are so afraid, and we do not know when the lights will be cut off, and it will be completely dark, and there is no food.”

In the days since, Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) spokesperson Clayson Monyela has said they are hard at work to assist students and other South Africans in the country.

On Friday, Dirco appealed to  South Africans to try and leave for neighbouring countries.

However, that was easier said than done, reports The Citizen:

Expats SA reported back through a tweet that students were not allowed to board trains and leave because they were foreigners.

The groups of students were huddled and sheltered in a subway and were later moved to board a train. However, the students were told foreigners were not allowed to board.

Footage has emerged of South Africans, as well as other African students, being poorly treated by Ukrainian law enforcement:

Students from SA and elsewhere in Africa being assaulted by Ukrainian border police to prevent them from crossing the border to Poland. Most had walked to the border post. @DIRCO_ZA pic.twitter.com/wCGrHnzIHi

— Erika Gibson (@GibsonErika) February 27, 2022

This video clip was shared with News24:

Here’s Ukraine Crisis Evacuation Committee member Lorraine Blauw:

“The Ukrainians have decided to set up international territory in the middle where they are separating Indians and Africans. They are letting people wait; we have Congolese people stuck for two days and had their passports taken away. This morning, students were beaten because they didn’t stand in the ‘black line’,” she added…

Blauw said the situation was “horrible at the moment”.

“These soldiers have taken it upon themselves to let the Ukrainian woman and children go first and to let our people be stuck with no shelter, food or water.”

Monyela issued another statement saying Dirco was “concerned about the current situation”.

In both the media coverage and on the ground, there have been notable incidents of racism.

This thread does a good job of compiling a few that stand out:

I’m going to start a thread of these incidents of insidious racism in the media coverage of the Ukrainian crisis, because I’ve just been seeing so damn many. https://t.co/xKMo2d568s

— S. (@saratu) February 26, 2022

It isn’t just South Africans who are stranded in Ukraine.

South African IT specialist Desigan Naidoo spoke with News24 about his experience:

Using his cellphone sparingly to keep it charged in case they have to run, he hunkers down with his family in their home in Kherson and, in brief bursts of texts, says there were explosions nearby all night and again on Friday morning.

“A gas station blown up,” he urgently typed out. “No way of leaving country now.”

…Naidoo said he also received a message that stated that automatic rifles were being handed to men aged 18 years and older. It meant his stepson’s life could change profoundly.

27-year-old graphic designer Cameron Solomon, who is trapped in Ukraine, said, “We are very scared, but we are trying to stay calm,” telling News24 on Saturday that he and his girlfriend were hiding in an underground parking garage.

56-year-old Lionel de Lange arrived in the south of Ukraine in order to help relocate a rescued circus bear.

On Friday, reports TimesLIVE, he made the decision to flee in his rental car and head for the nearest border:

“I had no idea where to go. I literally came to the crossing where I had to decide whether to go north towards the Polish border or south to Romania’s. When the guy behind me honked I turned left towards Odessa. I was not allowed to cross the border to Moldova because I had left the rented car behind and was travelling on foot.”

He finally got a lift and then travelled by taxi and walked to the first border crossing to Romania. He was allowed to cross as a South African because he had permanent residency in Ukraine.

He is one of the fortunate ones.

As for Masha the bear, de Lange says he will return when things calm down and complete her relocation.

To keep up to speed with the latest developments, you can follow live updates on CNN and the BBC.

[sources:iol&citizen&news24&news24&timeslive]