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Kiev tightens border control ahead of "unification council"

The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service stated that first of all, the measure concerns the "citizens from the migration risk countries, including the Russian Federation"

KIEV, December 14. /TASS/. Additional checks while crossing Ukraine’s border during the so-called church unification council will be organized for citizens from the migration risk countries, including Russian nationals, spokesman for the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service Oleg Slobodyan told TASS.

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"These measures will affect, first and foremost, citizens from the migration risk countries, including the Russian Federation," he noted, without providing more details.

Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service earlier reported that it had prohibited Russian men aged 16 to 60 years from entering the country. Its head Pyotr Tsigikal pointed out that entry was only possible should the situation a "humanitarian nature" emerge, like funerals, for example. Slobodyan informed TASS on Friday that almost 1,300 Russian citizens had entered Ukraine over the past 24 hours.

The so-called unification council to create an independent Ukrainian church will be held in Kiev on December 15. The council is expected to elect the primate of the new church, who will later be handed the Tomos of Autocephaly.

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