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Restrictions on Russians to enter Ukraine violate human rights

Chairman of the Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights Mikhail Fedotov says restricting entry to Ukraine is counterproductive

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Ukraine confirms restrictions on entering its territory for Russians aged 16 to 60

MOSCOW, April 17. /ITAR-TASS/. Chairman of the Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights Mikhail Fedotov believes that the decision to introduce restrictions for Russian citizens to enter Ukraine violates human rights.

The Ukrainian state border service has confirmed earlier in the day Kiev’s notification to Russia’s Aeroflot Airlines about restrictions imposed on Russian citizens and Ukrainian citizens aged from 16 to 60 with registration in the Russian Republic of Crimea and the Russian federal city of Sevastopol to enter Ukraine.

“Certainly this is a violation of human rights. But this is also a counterproductive decision,” Fedotov told ITAR-TASS. “Current Ukrainian authorities harm Russian-Ukrainian relations by this decision at the level of ordinary people as well. Ukrainian authorities should think about how to organize national dialogue and not to close the border,” the Russian human rights council chief said.

“First signs of border closure were seen a week ago, when members of our council Ella Polyakova and Yelizaveta Glinka were subject to long questioning at the Donetsk airport,” he added.

Mikhail Fedotov could not answer a question about possible actions of human rights activists over current Ukrainian authorities’ decision to close actually the border for Russians noting that “witnessing such decisions it is only possible to lift your hands in dismay."

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