Kiev- Leaders of the growing black community in Ukraine appealed to President Viktor Yushchenko for assistance after the street death of another African national, Korrespondent magazine reported Wednwesday.

Sunday Alderaji, an evangelical preacher and a leading member of the Nigerian diasphora in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, told the STB television station that increasing racism in the former Soviet republic was responsible for almost daily attacks against dark- skinned persons, and murders on monthly basis.

"The situation is getting worse and worse," he said.

African community leaders had joined together to ask Yushchenko, a strong support of European values including racial equality, for assistance due to repeated non-action by police after racial violence, Alderaji said.

Atonga Luilu, a Congolese immigrant residing in Kiev, was found dead on the street of a residential neighbourhood on Monday.

Despite severe head injuries and a broken neck visible on the body, city policy concluded Luilu's death was accidental, caused by his falling down after an epileptic fit.

"This is absurd, he clearly was attacked. ..," said John George, president of an Nigerian civil association. "And this is not the first time."

Nigerian Baie Olubaiode was knifed to death in Kiev on May 29. Sierra Leonian Victor Bendu-Charles was killed in his Kiev apartment in March, and an 18-year-old Congolese citizen murdered in a January street argument.

Police are still searching for Olubaiode's killers, but have said suspects in the other two murders have been arrested and will go to trial within two months.

Racist attacks are on the increase in Ukraine. Most frequently targeted are dark-skinned Africans and Jews. Indians and Chinese also have been attacked.

Yushchenko has repeatedly called for a police crackdown on racism- related crimes, and pushed legislation through parliament making even the commission of a verbal threat or mild violence, if on racist grounds, punishable by jail sentences up to twelve years. (dpa)