KIEV (Sputnik) – A reporter of Russian Channel One, Anna Kurbatova, will be forcibly deported from Ukraine, the Ukrainian Security Service said Wednesday.
"Russian propagandist Anna Kurbatova will be forcibly returned to Russia. Ukraine is a law-governed state, its law enforcement bodies are acting accordingly to the current legislation. At present, the preparation of the documents for her official deportation is underway. This is what will happen to anyone who allows themselves to shame Ukraine," spokeswoman Olena Gitlyanska said on Facebook.
Журналист федерального канала Анна #Курбатова была похищена на территории Украины#Украинаhttps://t.co/IV7Bu8UqMY pic.twitter.com/6VjOM5E1Uk
— Пятый канал Новости (@5tv) 30 августа 2017 г.
"Kurbatova will be deported from Ukraine’s territory with a ban to enter over anti-Ukrainian activities," an adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, Zoryan Shkyryak, said later in the day.
Later in the day, the Ukrainian Security Service said that Kurbatova will be banned from entering to the country for three years over allegedly "harming Ukraine's national interests."
"Anna Kurbatova, who was forcibly expelled from Ukraine, has crossed the Ukrainian-Russian border, her entry into the territory of our state has been banned for three years," SBU spokeswoman Olena Gitlyanska said.
Earlier in the day, the Russian journalist was kidnapped in Kiev. She is reportedly accused of "manipulating publicly important information and participation in anti-Ukrainian propaganda" when reporting from a military parade in Kiev, dedicated to Ukraine's Independence Day last week.
The Russian reporter's abduction and upcoming deportation comes just a day after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) expelled two Spanish journalists it accuses of having anti-Kiev bias.
Kiev has repeatedly limited the activities of foreign and even some local opposition media outlets in Ukraine. As an example, Kiev, in March 2015 issued a list of 115 Russian media outlets which could be denied or temporarily suspended accreditation by Ukrainian authorities as the outlets "posed threats" to Ukrainian state security. As the regulation came into force, a number of Russian journalists and television reporters were denied entry to Ukraine or deported to Russia.
Moreover, earlier this year, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko approved the decision to expand the list of sanctioned Russian individuals and legal entities. In particular, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on a number of Russian media outlets, as well as popular Russia-based social networks in a move criticized by major media freedom watchdogs and advocacy groups. The Kremlin said that the decision is another manifestation of an unfriendly and short-sighted policy against Russia.
