Families of students stuck in Ukraine ask government to evacuate them

For a number of Kenyan students who barely made it out, the journey back home is proving more difficult than anticipated as other countries plan evacuation flights for their citizens.

The more difficult task now is getting them home from the warzone and dealing with the unfortunate incidents of discrimination.

 Changamwe Member of Parliament Omar Mwinyi never thought he would be having a distress call with his daughter, who is thousands of kilometers away.

She is one of eight Kenyan students who managed to cross into Poland.

"We crossed the border a while back we are in Poland now. We are being told to go to Warsaw (capital) that's where they are providing accommodation for foreigners," said Mwinyi's daughter in a phone conversation.

Mwinyi countered: "But you’re ok where you are, there is any stampede or violence?" Daughter: "No we are fine."

"Have you eaten? posed concerned Mwinyi. "Just light snacks." she responded. 

Meanwhile, Secretary General of Association of Students in Ukraine Asia Abubakari claimed that the Ukrainian forces are putting up a façade saying that there is discrimination in the evacuation process.

"They are giving the world the idea that they are helping all refugees but they are only catering to Ukrainians. It makes no sense that my nationality or the passport that I hold determines whether I get help," she said.

"Most countries are finding it difficult to evacuate citizens from Ukraine and rather directing them to Poland. As far as African countries offering evacuation flights, Nigeria and Sudan are making plans to do so," she added.

 Thousands of refugees have continued fleeing the invasion that is not in its fifth day.

Video footage online in the past few days have shown the horror of terror in Kharkiv, as missiles rained down on Ukraine's second city, home to 1.4 million residents.

 However, Ukrainian forces say they repelled the attack after fierce street-to-street fighting with Russian forces.

The UN says about 368,000 refugees have left Ukraine since the conflict began.

The fighting across Ukraine has resulted in at least 240 civilian casualties, including 64 deaths, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

 Meanwhile, Russian airlines face a near-total airspace blockade to the country's west after an EU official said most European countries are set to impose flight bans.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a press briefing on Sunday said they are ready for peace talks with Russia but not in neighboring Belarus, which is an ally of Moscow.

He left the door open for negotiations elsewhere and listed other cities as alternative venues.