Ukraine Bans Entry of Russian Male Citizens into Its Territory

Amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Kyiv has announced a ban on the entry of Russian men aged 16 to 60 into the country. Simultaneously, Ukrainian security forces inspected the residence of a Russian Orthodox priest in Kyiv. Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, tweeted on Friday evening, December 8, that this decision was made to prevent the formation of 'private armies' on Ukrainian soil. In the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, which has resulted in over ten thousand deaths, Russia supports separatists. Following the issuance of the Ukrainian President's decree regarding the ban on Russian citizens entering the country, Petro Tsygikal, the commander of Ukraine's border guard, announced that the country's borders have been reinforced. However, Russia stated that it would not take retaliatory action. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, described Ukraine's action as one that 'harms ordinary citizens' and stated that Moscow has no plans for a countermeasure. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated last Sunday when Russian forces fired on three Ukrainian military vessels in the Kerch Strait. Two warships and a tugboat accompanying them remain detained by Russia, and 24 crew members of these vessels are also in custody. The new tensions between Russia and Ukraine have overshadowed the G20 summit, leading U.S. President Donald Trump to cancel a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing the continued detention of Ukrainian ships and sailors in Russia as the reason. On the other hand, Ukrainian security forces inspected the residence of a senior Russian Orthodox priest in Kyiv on Friday. Ukrainian officials have accused this Russian Orthodox priest, who resides in the oldest and largest monastery in Kyiv, of 'promoting hatred.' For centuries, Ukrainian Christians have believed in the Russian Orthodox Church, but since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the Ukrainian Church has sought to establish an independent identity by breaking away from the Russian Orthodox Church.