Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has been banned from traveling to Ukraine for five years due to his support for the Russian annexation of Crimea, the Interfax news agency reported Thursday.
“The five year entry ban has been imposed in the interest of public safety and in particular for [Gorbachev's] public support for the military annexation of Crimea,” said spokesperson for the Ukrainian Security Services Yelena Gitlyanskaya.
Gorbachev said in an interview with the British newspaper The Sunday Times earlier in May that he supported President Vladimir Putin's decision on Crimea, the Kommersant newspaper reported.
He said that he would have done the same in the President’s place as the majority of Crimean residents were in favor of joining Russia.
Crimea and Sevastopol became Russian federal subjects after a disputed referendum that showed support of the local population for such move.
The referendum hasn't been recognized internationally.
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