Ukraine bans Russian men from entering the country as tensions rise over vessel seizure
- Move follows martial law being declared in 10 regions over fears of a Russian land invasion
Ukraine has blocked Russian men aged between 16 and 60 from entering the country in a sweeping ban that will affect travel for hundreds of thousands of people.
The move comes amid rising tensions after Russian border guards opened fire on and captured three Ukrainian vessels and 24 crew on Sunday, prompting Ukraine to institute martial law in 10 regions to prevent what it described as a possible land invasion by Russia.
The Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, tweeted that the latest measure was designed to prevent Russia from forming units of “private” armies, “which in reality are representatives of the armed forces of the Russian Federation”, on Ukrainian soil. Russian soldiers were active in Crimea before the peninsula was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Some exceptions would be made, such as in the case of funerals, Ukraine said.
In a separate development, the three commanders of the Ukrainian vessels captured in the Kerch Strait last weekend were being transferred to Moscow, a Russian official said. Russia says the sailors violated its border, while Ukraine says its ships were acting in line with international maritime rules.
