Ukrainian Security Service Slaps 3-Year Entry Ban On 2 Russian Pranksters

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2018) The Ukrainian Security Service has forbidden entry to the country for two Russian pranksters Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexei Stolyarov, known as Vovan and Lexus, for three years, the service said in a statement published by media on Thursday.

"This July, a decision was made to forbid entry to Ukraine for Russian citizen Vladimir Kuznetsov [known as Vladimir Krasnov, prankster Vovan] born in 1986 for three years. Prankster Alexei Stolyarov, known under the name of Lexus, has been denied entry for three years as well," the security service said in a statement in response to an inquiry from the Fakty newspaper.

According to the newspaper, it mentioned the fact that the two pranksters carried out anti-Ukrainian activities and visited Crimea in its request to the security service.

Ukraine may ban entry for foreigners who visited post-referendum Crimea without a permit from Kiev, according to the Ukrainian law. Since 2015, over 100 Russian artists have been banned from entering Ukraine over their alleged threat to national security.