The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said Kenyan citizens who had been stranded in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion last month have been successfully evacuated.
In a statement, the ministry said the 26 are on their way to the town of Lviv on the Ukraine border with Poland under the escort of officials from the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Kenya in Ukraine.
The operation is being led by Dr Anatoliy Kovalenko, the honorary consul.
On Tuesday, the students were evacuated from Sumy through the humanitarian corridor to Poltava.
The ministry said that it is continuing to monitor developments in Ukraine, especially in regards to Kenyans studying and living in there.
Kenya, through its Embassy in Vienna, had also requested the Ukrainian authorities to inform the state border services of the movement to ensure facilitation at the borders.
The WhatsApp group “Kenya Evacuation” was created on February 24, 2022, with a membership of student leaders in Ukraine, Kenyan diplomatic corps in various neighbouring countries, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nairobi. The group is still active.
Also, the ministry said it has evacuated all of those who are willing.
“Our primary responsibility was to get them out of danger and harm’s way in Ukraine.”
The ministry gave a status update of Kenyans in Ukraine on March 1 and said 79 Kenyans, the majority of whom were students had been accounted for.
In a statement, the ministry said 74 Kenyan students had managed to cross over to Poland and were staying in the cities of Warsaw, Krakovets and Katowice.
It said two other Kenyan students were in Romania, two others in Hungary and one student had flown back to Kenya.
