Ukraine bans American actor Steven Seagal as a threat to national security
After American action movie star Steven Seagal received Russian citizenship last year, Ukraine has banned him entry into its territory for five years. Russia has backed separatists in a simmering conflict in eastern Ukraine.
In Short
- The Ukrainian security service made the announcement.
- Seagal is the latest of several cultural figures to be blacklisted.
- French actor Gerard Depardieu was also blacklisted.
Ukraine has banned American action movie star Steven Seagal as a threat to national security, 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, the Guardian reported.
Such a decision is made when a person has "committed socially dangerous actions... that contradict the interests of maintaining Ukraine's security", the letter said.
RUSSIAN CITIZENSHIP FOR SEAGAL
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, the Guardian reported.
After the ban, Seagal is the latest of several cultural figures to be blacklisted, including French actor Gerard Depardieu.
Ukraine previously banned Russia's entry to the Eurovision song contest that its capital Kiev is hosting next week.
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