Tensions between Russia and Ukraine spread to the Eurovision Song Contest on Wednesday after Kiev banned a Russian contestant from entering the country over a past performance in Moscow-annexed Crimea.
Ukrainian security service (SBU) spokeswoman Olena Gitlyanska told AFP that Yuliya Samoilova had been banned from entry "for three years" for being "in violation of Ukrainian legislation."
The move infuriated Moscow, which rebuked Kiev for banning the 27-year-old singer, who uses a wheelchair.
The Russian Foreign Minister said in a statement that Kiev had been "outrightly frightened by a fragile girl."
"The current Ukraine authorities yet again confirmed the image of the regime, which is infected by Russophobic paranoia and nationalist complexes," the statement said, adding that Kiev had demonstrated its "political inferiority and weakness."
"This is yet another outrageous, cynical and inhumane act by the Kiev authorities," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told the Interfax news agency.
Samoilova performed at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, as well as at a gala concert in Crimea aimed at popularising sport in June 2015.
The contest's organisers sharply criticised the ban, saying they were "deeply disappointed" by Kiev's decision.
"We have to respect the local laws of the host country, however we are deeply disappointed in this decision as we feel it goes against both the spirit of the contest, and the notion of inclusivity that lies at the heart of its values," the Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union said in statement sent to AFP.
It said the organisers would "continue a dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities" to ensure that all contestants can perform.
Russia's participation in this year's contest, which will take place in Kiev in May, has been fraught with political tensions with the two nations locked in a bitter feud since Moscow annexed Crimea in March 2014.
- 'Discriminatory decision' -
Ukraine had condemned the choice of the singer as a Russian "provocation," while the Kremlin insisted it was against "politicising" the contest.
Leonid Slutsky, the head of the Russian parliament's foreign relations committee, told state television Moscow would appeal to Western politicians to push Kiev "to reconsider its discriminatory decision."
Russia's state-controlled Channel One, which selected Samoilova, said in a statement carried by Interfax that Ukraine "did have enough common sense to use this opportunity to try to look civilised."
The channel told TASS news agency that it would select Samoilova for the 2018 edition of the contest if she could not perform this year.
The contest, known for its kitsch but catchy pop songs, is avowedly politically neutral.
Ukraine's security service had already blacklisted 140 Russian artists in October for openly supporting the annexation of Crimea and the pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Samoilova was not among them.
A string of Ukrainian politicians had urged the authorities not to be lenient towards Samoilova due to her disability.
Writing on Facebook earlier this month, Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Brygynets accused Russia of "hiding behind a disabled person", saying Moscow had hoped Ukraine wouldn't dare "ban entry to a person in a wheelchair" for breaking the law.
The singer has been in a wheelchair since a bad reaction to a vaccine in childhood, according to the biography on her website.
The first contestant in a wheelchair to appear on Eurovision was Poland's Monika Kuszynska in 2015.
The contest comprises two semi-finals on May 9 and 11, followed by the final on May 13.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine spread to the Eurovision Song Contest on Wednesday after Kiev banned a Russian contestant from entering the country over a past performance in Moscow-annexed Crimea.
Ukrainian security service (SBU) spokeswoman Olena Gitlyanska told AFP that Yuliya Samoilova had been banned from entry “for three years” for being “in violation of Ukrainian legislation.”
The move infuriated Moscow, which rebuked Kiev for banning the 27-year-old singer, who uses a wheelchair.
The Russian Foreign Minister said in a statement that Kiev had been “outrightly frightened by a fragile girl.”
“The current Ukraine authorities yet again confirmed the image of the regime, which is infected by Russophobic paranoia and nationalist complexes,” the statement said, adding that Kiev had demonstrated its “political inferiority and weakness.”
“This is yet another outrageous, cynical and inhumane act by the Kiev authorities,” Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told the Interfax news agency.
Samoilova performed at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, as well as at a gala concert in Crimea aimed at popularising sport in June 2015.
The contest’s organisers sharply criticised the ban, saying they were “deeply disappointed” by Kiev’s decision.
“We have to respect the local laws of the host country, however we are deeply disappointed in this decision as we feel it goes against both the spirit of the contest, and the notion of inclusivity that lies at the heart of its values,” the Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union said in statement sent to AFP.
It said the organisers would “continue a dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities” to ensure that all contestants can perform.
Russia’s participation in this year’s contest, which will take place in Kiev in May, has been fraught with political tensions with the two nations locked in a bitter feud since Moscow annexed Crimea in March 2014.
– ‘Discriminatory decision’ –
Ukraine had condemned the choice of the singer as a Russian “provocation,” while the Kremlin insisted it was against “politicising” the contest.
Leonid Slutsky, the head of the Russian parliament’s foreign relations committee, told state television Moscow would appeal to Western politicians to push Kiev “to reconsider its discriminatory decision.”
Russia’s state-controlled Channel One, which selected Samoilova, said in a statement carried by Interfax that Ukraine “did have enough common sense to use this opportunity to try to look civilised.”
The channel told TASS news agency that it would select Samoilova for the 2018 edition of the contest if she could not perform this year.
The contest, known for its kitsch but catchy pop songs, is avowedly politically neutral.
Ukraine’s security service had already blacklisted 140 Russian artists in October for openly supporting the annexation of Crimea and the pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Samoilova was not among them.
A string of Ukrainian politicians had urged the authorities not to be lenient towards Samoilova due to her disability.
Writing on Facebook earlier this month, Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Brygynets accused Russia of “hiding behind a disabled person”, saying Moscow had hoped Ukraine wouldn’t dare “ban entry to a person in a wheelchair” for breaking the law.
The singer has been in a wheelchair since a bad reaction to a vaccine in childhood, according to the biography on her website.
The first contestant in a wheelchair to appear on Eurovision was Poland’s Monika Kuszynska in 2015.
The contest comprises two semi-finals on May 9 and 11, followed by the final on May 13.
