Three Ukraine-based SA students land safely in Joburg as ambassador flees

Three SA students from Ukraine landed safely in Johannesburg via Hungary on Wednesday morning.

Department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) spokesperson Clayson Monyela said more students were expected home in the coming days.

Monyela said on Tuesday 28 SA students in Ukraine were on their database, but he has since said the number could change as they get more updates.

Monyela tweeted that seven students had safely arrived in Poland, 15 in Hungary and four were being assisted to cross into Poland. There were two others in a town far from the conflict zones.

In his most recent update, he said 10 were in Poland, 20 in Hungary, 12 in Slovakia and six still in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, SA ambassador to Ukraine André Groenewald and other diplomats are fleeing the country.

Speaking to eNCA, Groenewald said he was travelling with his wife and three sons in a motor convoy.

The convoy had passed Urman and things had changed quickly on the ground.

“As diplomatic communities in Kyiv, we are opening a humanitarian corridor to move out of the city,” he said.

He was travelling with the Nigerian ambassador and diplomats from other countries.

“We have moved out of Kyiv. It is too dangerous in Kyiv. Our idea was to move to Moldova or Romania. We are now considering looking at other options.”

TimesLIVE