Moscow Threatens

From UNIAN:
"Russia threatens to retaliate against Ukraine’s entry rules for Russians"

Moscow will take measures in response to tightening by the Kyiv government of the border crossing regulations for Russian citizens, "which can be considered a visa regime," first deputy head of the Defense and Security Committee of the Council of Federation Franz Klintsevich said Monday, RIA Novosti reports.  "The introduction of a system of preliminary electronic registration for Russian citizens entering Ukraine, or the so-called biometric control is, in fact, the establishment of a visa regime between our countries, and its ‘packaging’ is of no fundamental difference," Klintsevich said. He stressed that, judging by the latest statements, Kyiv has already decided on the introduction of such measures, and therefore Russia’s "duty is to warn that reciprocal steps will necessarily follow." "It's very difficult to talk about, but they can to some extent affect four million Ukrainians working in Russia," the Russian legislator said. Klintsevich did not rule out that some of them "will politely be asked to leave the Russian Federation." "Russia must first of all defend the interests of its citizens," the official concluded. Read alsoUkraine to introduce biometric passport control for foreigners by 2018As Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov said on July 10, Russians will be required to pre-register during their trips to Ukraine.

^ For a country, like the Ukraine, that has part of its territory (the Crimea) occupied and annexed by Russia and another part of its territory (the Donbas) in a years-long war supplied by and fought with help from Russia it amazes me that the Ukraine still has any diplomatic, trade or travel ties with Russia. I think it shows how truly great the Ukrainians are. Imagine the US during World War 2 allowing the Japanese to continue to trade and travel to the US after it occupied American territory (Alaska from 1942-43 and the Philippines from 1942-45) or the British during World War 2 allowing the Germans to continue to trade and travel with the UK after it occupied British territory (the British Channel Islands from 1940-45) or even the Soviet Union during World War 2 allowing the Germans to continue to trade and travel to the USSR after it occupied Soviet territory (from Leningrad to the outskirts of Moscow to Stalingrad and thousands of miles west from 1941-44.) The Ukraine has been expected (by the US, EU and UN) to modernize itself from a corrupt (both during Soviet and post-Soviet times) deadly dictatorship (which the Ukrainian people overthrew in 2014) to a full democracy without any real outside help and while fighting a war and having parts of its citizens living under foreign occupation. Some countries and groups say the Ukraine is being “too harsh” on Russia with requiring Russian citizens to electronically pre-register before they go to the Ukraine and then to register once inside the country. Just so you know Russia requires Russian citizens to register (within 90 days) and foreigners (within 3 days) whenever they go to a new town. Also, the US and Canada (the EU is creating a similar program) require foreigners to electronically pre-register before arriving by air. The fact that the Ukraine continues to allow any Russians inside their country at all is amazing as is the cultural, trade and diplomatic ties they continue to have. I don’t think any other country would do the same or be able to accomplish so much on its own (given the size of its territory, its resources or its population) as the Ukraine has in the past 3 ½ years since Russia invaded, occupied and annexed the Crimea and the Donbas War started. The Ukraine today has not only overcame 70 + years of Soviet corruption and dictatorship, 23 years of post-Soviet corruption, is fighting a war in the Donbas, has the Crimea occupied and annexed by Russia and dealt with all the regular issues any country deals with all within less than 4 years’ time and with very little international assistance or help.  Russia hasn’t been able to even come close to the accomplishments that the Ukraine has made and while the Ukraine has moved further into the 21st Century Russia continues to move backwards. ^

https://www.unian.info/politics/2021754-russia-threatens-to-retaliate-against-ukraines-entry-rules-for-russians.html