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Russia’s OSCE envoy blasts Kiev’s entry ban for journalists

Russia’s OSCE envoy has condemned Ukraine’s entry ban for Russian reporter Yevgeny Primakov and RT's correspondent Paula Slier

OSCE envoy Alexander Lukashevich Mikhail Pochuyev/TASS

OSCE envoy Alexander Lukashevich

© Mikhail Pochuyev/TASS

MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. Russia’s envoy to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Alexander Lukashevich has condemned Ukraine’s entry ban for Russian reporter Yevgeny Primakov and RT's correspondent Paula Slier.

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"We strongly condemn the deportation of reporters working for Russian mass media outlets, Primakov (VGTRK) and RT (Slier), who flew to Kiev for a conference on the freedom and mass media pluralism," Lukashevich wrote on Twitter. "They are barred from entering Ukraine for 5 years. Is this Ukrainian-style freedom of speech?"

The envoy noted that Kiev’s steps against the journalists look especially cynic as Primakov and Slier had planned to take part in a conference organized by OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir.

Ukraine’s border guards did not allow Primakov to enter the country as he arrived at the Borispol Airport, without citing the reasons behind the move. RT’s Middle East Bureau correspondent Paula Slier, who was heading to the OSCE conference on the freedom of speech, was also deported.

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