Why Ukrainians treated differently from other refugees?

[Babymamamama]

Disclaimer I’m not a current affairs specialist and not trying to start a bun fight this is a genuine question.
Aibu to ask why it is Ukranian refugees have on appearance been treated so differently from other groups fleeing dreadful conflicts in their home country. I’m specifically thinking of Afghan and Syrian nationals as they are the two groups I’m most aware of.

Round my way people have been hosting Ukrainians, clubbing together as whole streets to contribute to flat deposits, gathering up household items to set up Ukrainians in their temporary homes, holding fundraising concerts. It’s all all admirable and I myself have also contributed where I could. But a lingering question remains -why for this group and not the others? Is this unconscious bias? Why the difference in approach and treatment? Not wanting to offend but something about this doesn’t sit well with me. Can anyone with more knowledge of world affairs enlighten me please?

Both come on boats, there are migrants from other countries, there are refugees on them. Some Afghans managed to get on planes.

In a nut shell

During the Iraq war (as a teen growing up) we had an influx of young Iraqi men, it wasn't a pleasant experience being verbally assaulted walking to school in the morning, so I have personally had a negative experience.

But it shows we did extend our arm to other countries in trouble and not because Ukraine is white 🙄

As others had mentioned it's in Europe and the majority are women and children. I would have no issue the UK helping afghan/ iraq/ Syria- women and children.

No idea.
But I'm more concerned with the way the disabled Ukrainian adults are being hidden away from the world. If anyone saw the news this week, it was heartbreaking,

You are the problem, causing division. The issue is gender not colour.

The big difference that struck me of the images of people leaving Afghanistan versus Ukraine was that the people leaving Afghanistan tended to be young men, whereas Ukraine it was women and children.
now whilst that might be the photos the BBC and newspapers chose to use I think that people feel more comfortable interacting and helping strangers who are women and children as they feel less threatening. It also feels a little more genuine that children and caregivers would flee which makes those from Ukraine seem more relatable

I live in a very white rural area and assume that it’s a cultural and racial bias. But if I lived in London perhaps it would be different? Are there lots of black or Asian families hosting Ukrainian families?

Ukrainian refugees are, on the whole, women with children.
"Refugees" from Syria etc are predominantly, though not exclusively, young men.

You are the problem, causing division. The issue is gender not colour.

That's right, racism doesn't exist and others are the problem for thinking it does. Even if you don't think you are, I don't know how you can deny colour and prejudice plays any role. Makes it look even more suspicious to deny it outright

Agreed. People very conveniently forget that the UK has messed up the economic infrastructures of lots of countries. That's the reason why people are migrating elsewhere, you only need to read up on colonial history. Whichever country, Britain occupied and ransacked economically, that country has never recovered its riches. They've nearly always stayed poor and unstable & have produced refugees/migrants ever since.

Refugees in quote marks, for Syria, what's that about? Syria is a war torn country and I've 100% seen documentaries of Syrian families fleeing.

@pd339 simples?
Are you 6?

Maybe they are sitting in their refugee camps and wait for an invitation .

Unlike others , who enter the country illegally.

Agree...Despite Afghanistan being an awful place to live, the reality is that most (not all) are young men who are economic migrants, who have evaded at all costs having fingerprints taken in other countries where they have travelled through and aided by the army of immigration lawyers concocting trigger arguments to try and secure asylum, ie they are Christian or gay.

The evidence is there in Ukraine for all to see. The males are nearly all staying and fighting, the women and children fleeing, and I would imagine most will want to go home asap

Because the invader is Russia?

We wouldn't be doing this if the USA had gone in there to liberate oil.

That does not mean any of this is ok before the pile on starts.

@Impier Not sure who you are talking about here. The Manchester bomber was British. Of the London July bombers three were British and one was born in Jamaica. Who are these Afghan terrorists you refer to? Because certainly the bulk of Islamic terrorism in the UK has been perpetrated by British people.

This sort of comment might be why people suggest racism is a factor here in how refugees are treated.

The interesting question would be whether a Ukranian would agree to living with a black/Asian family. Ukraine isn't very ethnically diverse so maybe they would rather stay with the familiar too. I love in an area with a lot of Eastern Europeans & they don't tend to mix much outside their groups. Unfortunately, some of them can be very vocally racist as well which I've experienced.

Because they're white and not Muslim.

I am in lreland so part of the EU.
I struggled with that question too but accepted it was because
1 part of the reason Putin was invading Ukraine was their desire to become part of the EU and NATO so we needed to stand with them
2 they are standing between Russia and other nations in the EU so we wanted to stand by those countries by supporting UKRAINE in any way we could.
I know it's different for the UK but l presume you want to support European countries from a possible invasion from Putin.
3 people ere actually driving all the way to the border and beyond bringing people to safety so l expect they felt there was something they could do to help as the other countries seemed very far away.
We have taken other refugees but they have definitely not been treated in the same way.

Hypothetical as I don't have a spare room but I wouldn't take in a lone afghan child as a pp suggested as I don't have the capability of parenting a child that has a traumatic background. I don't have the skills. That's why I wouldn't foster.
Where I live in Wales we have had afghan and Syrian refugees but they are large family groups and the community has welcomed them with open arms. They have been housed as it would not have been feasible to put them with families.
I also wouldn't take in a single male. In my hypothetical spare room I could easily and happily take afghan or Syrian females and one child but the demographic is mostly men.
I do agree that there is a negative bias against people so obviously culturally different though. I don't think its fair to blanket label the UK as racist though. I know I'm not racist but I have found occasions where I become conscious of my unconscious biases.

I think this too. It's more clear cut for people to sympathise with

True but I think you are conflating two different sets of circumstances. Like the media you haven't given context to your message.
The afghan airlift was the end- after 20 yrs of democracy with no outside support as the West withdrew. Ukraine is a new crisis with plenty of support from the west.
I think at the start of most conflicts men stay & fight. When there's little hope (like in Afghanistan/Syria) everyone who can leaves.
Also Ukraine I understand is not allowing fighting age & fit men to leave.

Genuine question: is there something about distance too? Would Middle Eastern refugees be taken in by countries closer to them than European ones, while Ukrainian refugees have been taken in by other European countries?

😂yeah because you know my skin colour, right.

thefruitbatdancer - that is such a good point and so true. It’s just not so likely to work.

It’s a bit depressing really and feels almost archaic but it is how it is. There may be some individuals who stand out from that but broadly speaking you’re almost certainly right.