Kenya Issues Advice to Students, Citizens Stuck in Ukraine

Photo collage showing the aftermath of attacks in Ukraine on Thursday Februaury 24, 2022
Photo collage showing the aftermath of attacks in Ukraine on Thursday February 24, 2022
Courtesy

Kenya has issued an advisory to its citizens and students stuck in Ukraine following Russia's invasion of the European country.

Through a statement to newsrooms dated Friday, February 25, the Kenyan Embassy in Ukraine noted that it is monitoring the situation in both Ukraine and Russia before taking action.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Macharia Kamau, however, advised Kenyans stuck in Ukraine to leave at their will.

"Kenyans have been advised that if they do not feel comfortable they should leave of their own free will. They need to judge the circumstances and decide. Only parts of the country are affected by warfare," Macharia told a local publication.

Principal Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Kamau Macharia
Principal Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Kamau Macharia
Twitter

Reports indicate that Kenya Honorary Consul in Ukraine has 18 Kenyans who are permanently registered in the country while 183 are in the country temporarily.

The majority of those being students who are advancing their education.

The advisory follows a statement issued by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Kenya, Andrii Pravednyk, on Thursday, February 24 appealing to the global leaders to help counter the Russian offensive.

“Our partners should immediately enact a package of new sanctions. We also call on friendly capitals to continue to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities by providing additional weapons and military equipment,” he stated.

According to international media houses, Russia launched a full scale military attack on Ukraine using missiles and other air attacks.

Addressing the media on Friday, February 25, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that 137 people, both servicemen, and civilians, have been killed and hundreds more wounded.

On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin argued that he needed to protect its citizens in Eastern Ukraine which is the disputed territory area.

Kenya among other nations have been advocating for peaceful conflict resolution between the two nations. Kenya's Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Martin Kimani, drew reference to how most African countries solved their territorial disputes advising Russia and Ukraine to employ that strategy.

"It has been assaulted, as it has been by other powerful states in the recent past. We call on all member states to stand behind the Secretary General in asking him to rally us to the standard of defending multilateralism."

"This situation echoes our history. Kenya and almost every African country were birthed by the ending of the empire. Our borders were not of our drawing," he said. "Today across the border of every single African country live our countrymen with whom we share deep bonds."

So far, world leaders led by US President Joe Biden have threatened Russian's Vladmir Putin-led government with sanctions for invading Ukraine's territories.

Ukraine's ambassador to Kenya Andrii Pravednyk Addressing the media on Thursday February 24, 2022 in Nairobi
Ukraine's ambassador to Kenya Andrii Pravednyk Addressing the media on Thursday, February 24, 2022, in Nairobi
Ukraine Embassy
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