By Poloko Mokhele
Basotho students studying in Ukraine have reportedly been safely evacuated into neighbouring Poland as the fight between Ukraine and Russia continues.
On Sunday theReporter received information from authoritative sources that there are two Basotho in Ukraine. However, by Saturday one had already crossed the border into Poland, while the other was still in western Ukraine in contact with the Ukrainian authorities to be able to cross as well.
Unconfirmed reports say there were three students although there has not been any mention of the third one.
“To my knowledge there were two Basotho students in Ukraine. One has already crossed the border; the other is still in western Ukraine and in contact with the Ukrainian authorities to be able to cross as well. Lesotho has no embassy in Ukraine, the closest would be in Berlin,” the source said.
On Tuesday morning, the Delegation of the European Union in Lesotho announced that: “this morning the last student from Lesotho who was still in Ukraine crossed the border safely.” The EU thanked Ukraine ambassador to South Africa Liubov Abravitova “for the time and efforts despite enormous pressure.”
theReporter has the full names of one students’ names but has withheld them for security reasons as efforts to engage with her are still ongoing.