Ukrainian officials to be able to travel abroad only for official needs - Zelensky

MOSCOW. Jan 24 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has signed a decree banning government officials, including law enforcement officers, from travelling abroad other than for official purposes, Ukrainian media reported on Tuesday.

"This concerns all public officials from the central government offices and various other levels of local government bodies. This concerns law enforcement officers, people's deputies, prosecutors - in other words, all those working for the state," the media quoted Zelensky as saying in a video address in the early hours of Tuesday.

"If they wish to vacate now, they'll vacate outside of government service," Zelensky said. "Officials will no longer be able to travel abroad for vacation or any other non-official purposes," he said.

New border crossing rules and criteria of official trips will be drawn up within five days, he said.