Ghanaian in Russia Recounts Failed Attempts to Cross from Belarus to Poland
Emmanuel, a Ghanaian currently living in Moscow, Russia, originally moved from Ghana to Belarus in 2019 to further his education. He applied to study mechanical engineering, believing that the tuition fees were affordable. However, upon arrival, he quickly realized that life in Belarus was not as he had expected.
Many students, including Malians and other Africans, attempted to escape to Poland and Latvia. He learned about illegal smuggling routes where people used cars to stow away or paid agents who claimed they could help them cross borders. However, some of these so-called agents were scammers who abandoned migrants in the forest, leaving them to die.
Emmanuel himself attempted to cross from Belarus to Poland nine times but failed. On four occasions, he was arrested. The journey was perilous, with soldiers patrolling the forests. Those caught were brutally beaten. Surveillance cameras and motion sensors made it nearly impossible to pass undetected. Many migrants died along the way, including a pregnant woman Emmanuel saw lifeless in a bus during one of his failed attempts. That experience made him reconsider his plans.
Despite the dangers, people still paid large sums of money—sometimes as much as $500—to agents, hoping to reach Poland. However, many ended up stranded in the forest without food, falling into the hands of border guards who showed no mercy. Some migrants, desperate for survival, relied on Arab smugglers who provided phones to call taxis and escape.
Eventually, Emmanuel decided to abandon his plan to enter the Schengen zone illegally. Instead, he chose to work in Russia. He arrived in Moscow on November 11, 2023 and realized that working without proper documentation (Nkrataa) had become more difficult due to new immigration policies. Employers who hired undocumented workers risked heavy penalties, and many hid their workers during inspections.
His friend from Madagascar, who used to act as an agent smuggling people through the bush, was recently arrested. Emmanuel warns others about the dangers of illegal migration through Belarus, stressing that many who attempt the journey either get arrested, die in the forest, or end up deported back to their home countries.
He advises anyone considering studying in Russia or Belarus to be cautious, as many people are deceived into thinking they can work with a tourist visa. In reality, the process is much stricter now, and those without the right papers struggle to survive.
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