Ukrainian journalist banned from entering Belarus

Journalist of “Ukrainska pravda” Oksana Kovalenko was banned from entering the territory of Belarus. This was reported by Kovalenko herself, “Ukrainska pravda” informs.

“This night (night on the eve of July 2 - ed.) at the checkpoint Teriukha, the border guards of Belarus took me off the train Kyiv-Minsk, and told me that I was not allowed to enter Belarus”, the journalist said.

According to her, the border guards refused to explain the reason of the ban. Yet, Kovalenko was able to notice on the monitor screen that the ban was initiated by the Russian Federation.
The border guards made a photo of the journalist, and then took her off the train, then after some time found a place for her in a train to Kyiv. No documents or information about the ban was presented to her – she was not even able to find out for how long the ban lasts – they only placed a stamp in her passport.

“In Minsk, the negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation about Donbas are being held. So it is quite surprising that Belarus, as an intermediary, bans entrance to Ukrainian journalists. Because I am sure that I was banned to enter RF and Belarus due to my journalist activities”, Kovalenko said.

At the same time, the first vice speaker Iryna Herashchenko in her comment under Kovalenko's Facebook post informed that the Ukrainian Embassy to Belarus is preparing a note regaring the ban placed on the journalist.