Ukraine bans Steven Seagal as threat to national security
Los Angeles May 6 (IANS) Ukraine has banned American action movie star Steven Seagal as a part of national security threat after the actor received Russian citizenship.
The Ukrainian security service said it had forbidden Seagal entry to the country for five years in a letter published by the news site Apostrophe. The service s press secretary later confirmed the ban to other media reports guardian.com.
The letter said such a decision is made when a person has committed socially dangerous actions... that contradict the interests of maintaining Ukraine s security.
The move comes after the actor received citizenship in Russia which has backed separatists in a simmering conflict in eastern Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin handed Seagal a Russian passport and told him he hoped their personal relationship will remain and continue during a meeting in the Kremlin last year reports guardian.com.
After the ban Seagal is the latest of several cultural figures to be blacklisted including actor Gérard Depardieu.
Ukraine previously banned Russia s entry to the Eurovision song contest that Kiev is hosting next week.
--IANS
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