Ukraine bans entry of sailors who have entered Russian-occupied Crimea aboard commercial ships
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has decided to ban the entry of foreign crew members of vessels engaged in commercial voyages to Crimean ports.
"Because of the violation of the law on entry into the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine [Crimea], these foreigners will not be able to visit Ukraine during the next three years, even as members of the crews of other ships," the press-center of the SSU said.
The SSU reminded that Ukraine has closed checkpoints Crimean ports due to Russia's occupation of the peninsula, and therefore it is only legally possible to enter the Crimea from mainland Ukraine.
Since June of 2015, there are new rules for crossing the administrative border from mainland Ukraine to occupied Crimea, according to which foreigners can travel to the peninsula only with a special permit.