Expat SA moves students from Ukraine to neighbouring countries

"Right now, they are being accommodated by a number of South African volunteers that side and we are aware of a few both students and non-students who are on their way to South Africa," says founder Lebone Kganyago.

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"Right now, we have just been notified that a group of South Africans are travelling out tomorrow. There is a non-student. We are sure that he should be in South Africa by now unless, of course, he is in transit. He travelled through the Polish border. He is an elderly gentleman." 

They are among thousands of people fleeing the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

Artillery and airstrikes have targeted built-up areas like Kyiv, Kharkiv and Chernihiv - killing dozens of people.

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The mayor of Mariupol, in the south-east of the country, says the city's suffered "mass casualties" and is currently without water supplies.

More than 2 000 people are known to have died since the conflict began.