MOSCOW. April 18 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian border guards in airports did not allow over 80 Russian citizens to enter Ukraine in the past 24 hours, a source in an airline flying to Ukraine told Interfax.
Russian citizens denied entry are passengers of around 15 flights, the source said.
"Around 40 people have been removed from our flights and around 40 - from our partners' flights," the source said.
Meanwhile, the Gazeta.Ru online media outlet reported thatits female employee had been denied entry to Ukraine.
"A Gazeta.Ru correspondent has been removed from the Moscow-Mariupol train at the Russian-Ukrainian border near Kharkiv" - border guards removed her from the train as "the purpose of arrival had not been confirmed," the report said.
"They [border guards] also said that, according to an internal decree, it is not permitted to allow reporters to Ukraine," Gazeta.Ru said.
The Ukrainian authorities have introduced entry restrictions regarding Russians, the Aeroflot Russian Airlines company (MOEX: AFLT) said on April 17.
In particular, the restriction will apply to male citizens aged between 16 and 60. Such individuals will be allowed to enter Ukraine only in extreme cases and upon the decision of border regional department head following control measures, Aeroflot said in a statement. Such cases are, for instance, showing documents confirming family ties, death or serious illness of close relatives. Without confirmation documents only Russian citizens, travelling as a family with children may be considered, the document said.
Restrictions also apply to men aged between 16 and 60 with Ukrainian citizenship, who are registered in Crimea and Sevastopol. These individuals will be allowed entry upon the decision of a border unit head only in case they travel to attend funerals of close relatives, have documents of serious diseases of close relatives, plane tickets and tourist vouchers, Aeroflot said.
Restrictions will be applicable to women aged between 20 and 35 with Ukrainian citizenship, who are registered in Crimea and Sevastopol. They will be permitted to enter Ukraine after control proceedings are held, the statement said.
The Transaero airline has received a relevant notification as well.