Due to the full-scale armed invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and, as a result, the lack of air traffic with other countries, millions of Ukrainian and foreign citizens alike were forced to flee Ukraine to safer places (including to and through the EU member states) using vehicular and railroad checkpoints at the western state border. The checkpoints quickly became overcrowded, with queues of people fleeing the country often reaching a length of tens of kilometers. In the first week of the war, foreign media reported signs of racial discrimination when third-country nationals tried to evacuate from Ukraine or cross the border with the EU countries. The issue quickly gained publicity, and the Ukrainian government was demanded to clarify the situation and take urgent measures to correct it.
Evacuation of foreigners from Ukraine: legal basis, obstacles and government aid >>
