Ukraine: Why plenti African and Indian students dey for di kontri

Russian invasion of Ukraine don make plenty civilians wey include thousands of international students from Africa, Asia and di Middle East run comot di kontri.

Ukraine be home to over 76,000 foreign students, according to government data from 2020.

Nearly one quarter of di students come from Africa, di largest numbers dey come from Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt.

India get di highest number wit over 20,000 students.

Di students wey dey study medicine, engineering and business - dey important for di kontri economy.

But, as Russia launch di biggest European attack since the Second World War, thousands of dem don run comot, hundreds still dey trapped, and many no sure about wetin go become of dia education.

Wetin dey attract dem go Ukraine?

E don tey wey Ukraine na place of choice for foreign students. E fit dey traced to di time of di Soviet era, when dem put plenty investment on top higher education as deliberate attempt to attract students from newly independent African kontris.

Now, Ukrainian universities dey seen gateway to European job market as dia scholl fees dey affordable, straightforward visa terms and possibility of permanent residency.

"Ukrainian degrees dey widely recognised and e dey offer high standard of education," Patrick Esugunum, wey dey work for one organisation wey dey West African students wey wan study for Ukraine tok.

"Plenty medical students, in particular, wan go there go get good standard for medical facilities," e add.

Desmond Chinaza Muokwudo, one Nigerian student wey dey stay for di city of Dnirpo say na di relaxed admission requirements and di cheap cost of living compared to oda European cities attract am.

E enrol for di University of Customs and Finance less than three months ago.

Many courses dey for English, but di 30-year-old still dey take preliminary Ukrainian language course, before e move on to study international relations.

"I be welder when I dey Nigeria and I need education to accomplish things," e tell BBC from one hostel for Poland afta e run comot di conflict.

"Ukraine na di best option for me."

Wia di students dey now?

Like Mr Muokwudo, more than 10,000 oda African students don manage to escape di conflict and enta neighbouring countries, according to EU.

Hundreds of students dey believed to still dey for Ukraine, but e dey hard to confirm di exact numbers.

One Indian student die wen e try go outside go buy food.

22-year old student, Christophe follow BBc tok from inside one basement for di southern city of Kherson, wey Russian forces don take over.

"When di bombardments start, we go inside, na very little hole," e tok as di fight still dey go on.

E say things don calm small now as lockdown dey during di day and more more two pipo no dey allowed to dey outside together.

Di international business student dey one year into im bachelor's degree for di Kherson National Technical University wen di fighting start.

"E dey difficult to imagine how to finish studies for dis kain environment," e tok.

For another part of di city, Mamady Doumbouya, one computer science student from Guinea tok say: "I wan go back my kontri, we no fit study where war dey."

E follow BBC tok from inside one dark basement and e dey surrounded by im classmates from Gabon, Senegal, and Cameroon.

"We no get water, we no get light," e tok.

Wetin goments dey do to help?

Ukraine don pause all civilian flights wen di invasion start on 24 February.

African goments dey try evacuate their citizens from di kontri, as some dey try arrange flights to carry those wey don cross border.

Ghana be di first African nation to welcome home a group of students on Tuesday.

One student, Jared Otumfuo Catey wey follow BBC tok wen e land Accra say; "A few days ago, I no know say I go dey here. I dey grateful say I dey safe."

Nigeria say dem go follow suit and offer flights for those wey wish to return via Romania, Hungary, and Poland.

South Africa ambassador go Ukraine tell BBC say im gatz comot Ukraine for im own safety but dey work hard to secure di exit of South Africans and other foreigners from di kontri.

South Africa ambassadors for Poland and Hungary don also go di borders to help pipo comot, e tok.

Di Ukrainian goment don launch emergency hotline for Africans and Asians wey dey run according to di foreign minister.

For inside tweet, Dmytro Kuleba say di authorities dey "work intensively" to ensure the safety and passage of African and Asian students.

Dem go fit finish dia studies?

As dem don spend plenty money on top education for Ukraine, many students tell BBC say dem dey divided between returning home or staying in Europe to complete their degrees.

Jessica Orakpo, one sixth-year medical student for Ternopil National Medical University say na only four months remain for her to graduate wen Russian troops invade.

"I dey stuck now, I no fit move forward wit my education because my school get all my documents," she tell BBC say she dey on her way to Hungarian capital, Budapest.

"I no get time to start all over again and I just want my degree. Maybe I fit finish my master for anoda place."

Foreign students for Ukraine get temporary residence for di duration of their studies, but dis no extend to neighbouring countries.

Mr Muokwudo say im go try finish im course elsewhere for Europe, if all else fails.

"I go stay here and see if di situation go improve," e tok.

"Going back to Nigeria no be option."

Why Russia dey attack Ukraine?

Some believe say na personal obsession of President Vladimir Putin and odas say na attempt to return to a kind of new cold war.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine don trigger red flags in many foreign ministries around di world.

Russia invade Ukraine despite say international community advise dem against am.

Dem even threaten to sanction Russia if dem invade dia neighbour but di kontri no gree.

Currently, Russia don chop some sanctions sake of dia action against Ukraine.