Zelensky announces visa requirements for Russians entering Ukraine starting July 1

MOSCOW. June 17 (Interfax) - Ukraine is introducing entry visas for Russian citizens, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"To counter unprecedented threats to the national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of our state, I have proposed that the Cabinet of Ministers revise the procedure of entry for Russian citizens to Ukrainian territory," Zelensky wrote on Telegram on Friday.

"The Cabinet of Ministers is supposed to adopt an important directive terminating the agreement between the Ukrainian government and the Russian government on visa-free travel of citizens of Ukraine and Russia and a number of Ukraine's international treaties with the Russian Federation," he said.

"In line with the Cabinet of Ministers' planned decision, Ukraine will introduce entry visa requirements for Russian citizens starting July 1, 2022," Zelensky said.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said later in the day that the Cabinet of Ministers waived a visa-free travel agreement with Russia starting July 1.

"We are completely severing ties with Russia. To oppose unprecedented threats to our state's national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, the government has just made a decision, in compliance with the Ukrainian president's directive, to terminate the visa-free travel agreement with Russia," Ukrainian media quoted Shmyhal as saying on Telegram on Friday.

Russian citizens will be unable to enter Ukraine without a visa beginning from July 1, 2022, he said.