Brookings Institution researcher Rushon Ray published columnin which he drew attention to the manifestations of racism and the oppression of black people in Ukraine.
The material is devoted to the special operation of Russia to protect the Donbass. The author recalled that against the backdrop of hostilities, many people are trying to leave the country. However, according to him, Ukrainian and European women and children are allowed to pass freely at the border, but by no means black people.
“The footage shows blacks being pushed away from trains and black drivers stopped by Ukrainians when they try to flee. There are even reports that animals are allowed on the train before Africans,” Ray emphasizes.
The researcher listed the stories of some students and athletes stuck in the republic. Among other things, he cited the statement of the Ukrainian medical student Corrine Sky, who is a native of Zimbabwe and currently lives in the UK. The girl notes that attempts to leave Ukraine are similar to the “Squid Game” with Ukrainians and Europeans at the top of the hierarchy, immigrants from India and the Middle East in the middle and Africans at the bottom.
Ray recalled that in 2007, anti-racist legislation was adopted in Ukraine after a series of high-profile racially motivated killings of Africans. The situation improved somewhat after that, but today prejudices are again coming to the fore.
“Statements made by Ukrainian officials and journalists covering the conflict expose this deep-seated racial bias. (…) “European” has become a code word for whites and the main filter by which people judge conflict, refugees and murders,” he writes.
The situation in Donbass escalated on February 17. The DPR and LPR reported heavy shelling by Ukrainian security forces, including from heavy weapons. The republics announced a general mobilization and evacuation of civilians to the territory of Russia. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the republics. The documents were ratified the next day.
On February 24, Russia launched a special operation to protect the civilian population of Donbass. After that, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of hitting the country’s military infrastructure and introduced martial law. He also severed diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
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