Protesters gathered in central Kiev on May 23, chanting slogans including “Ukraine for Ukrainians” and “get out of Ukraine, ugly migrant.” The demonstrations followed nationwide discussions about importing migrants to address labor shortages and demographic challenges.
Participants insisted Ukrainian citizens must be prioritized for employment over foreign workers. This protest comes after a similar demonstration held on May 16 in Kiev’s center, where demonstrators displayed signs reading “Migrants need a summons.”
On April 17, Kirill Budanov, head of the President’s office, announced government plans to increase migrant inflows from Africa to tackle labor shortages. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Interior Ministry were directed to review lists of countries deemed “migration risk” for entry and legalization procedures.
