115 Nigerian men reportedly offer to join Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion About 115 young Nigerian men on Tuesday have offered to join Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
The men, who besieged the Ukraine Embassy in Abuja, on Wednesday, also put down their names in a register provided by the embassy.
The Second Secretary, Ukraine Embassy, Bohdan Soltys, confirmed the development, adding that no step had yet been taken to that effect.
The volunteers may have been responding to a recent call by Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, urging people around the world to join the fight.
In a statement released last Sunday, the President accused the Russian army of killing civilians and praised Ukrainians for having the courage to defend themselves.
He said that the assault by Russia was not just “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” but also the beginning of a war against democracy and basic human rights.
Zelensky had called on anyone who wished to join the defence of Ukraine, Europe and the world to come and fight side by side with Ukrainians.
Ahead of the evacuation of Nigerians that fled Ukraine following the escalating Russia-Ukraine war, Nigeria’s major airlines, Max Air and Air Peace have concluded arrangements to conduct the evacuation flights of Nigerians from Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.
The two airlines had been contracted by the Federal Government to carry out the evacuation process.
It was learnt that the evacuation flight would commence on Wednesday night with the two airlines deploying their wide-bodied aircraft to conduct the evacuation exercise.
While Max Air would evacuate about 560 on Wednesday from Romania, the Air Peace would convey 360 stranded Nigerians from Poland and Hungary.
Stranded Nigerians including hundreds of students studying in Ukraine are currently taking shelter in neighbouring countries in the wake of the outbreak of the Russia-Ukrainian war.
The Chief Operating Officer of Air Peace, Mrs Oluwatoyin Olajide confirmed the readiness of Air Peace to carry out the evacuation. The airline is expected to deploy its Boeing 777-300.
“Air Peace will leave this night to Bucharest and Warsaw to airlift Nigerians back to the country. They will land in Lagos. They are expected to arrive on Thursday,” said Olajide.
Max Air on its part would depart Nigeria by 11 pm on Wednesday with its Boeing 747-400 aircraft with the capacity to airlift 560 passengers.
“We have our two Boeing 747 ready and serviceable to carry out the evacuation,” an official of the airline told newsmen.
