Despite the generally satisfactory reception host countries have given to people fleeing the war in Ukraine, protection conditions have varied according to the nationality of the refugees.
This was one of the conclusions of the 2022 report of the Council of Europe's Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), published on Thursday.
"Unequal treatment was reported vis-à-vis non-Ukrainians, such as people coming from Asian or African countries, at Ukrainian borders, as well as in receiving countries, with terms of protection appearing to be of a far lower standard,” according to the report, which covers host countries bordering Ukraine.
"Credible sources reported unequal treatment linked to ethnicity," the report added. For example, Roma of Ukrainian nationality seeking protection were reportedly offered poor accommodation conditions compared to other Ukrainians in the same situation. In some cases, local authorities reportedly refused them accommodation.
Unequal treatment was also reported at Ukrainian checkpoints, where Roma and people from Asian or African countries, or perceived as such, found themselves at the end of the queue to leave Ukraine.
Russia’s war against Ukraine also led hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens to settle in states where they did not need entry visas. ECRI said it was pleased to note that the authorities and equality bodies acted quickly to dispel the initial manifestations of hostility and hate speech, but stressed the need for extreme vigilance.
ECRI also denounced “the false narrative" of Russian leaders, at the highest political level, describing the democratically elected Ukrainian government and Ukrainians who do not consider themselves ‘pro-Russian’ as neo-Nazis. This was “absurd, nauseating and an affront to the memory of the millions of victims of Nazism,” ECRI said.
