Ukraine has banned French actor Gerard Depardieu, who has both French and Russian citizenship, from entering the country for five years, local media say.
“Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has taken a decision to deny entry to Depardieu at the request of the Culture Ministry, news agency Interfax quotes SBU spokeswoman Olena Hitlyanska.
The Security Service has already filed all the necessary documents so that the State Border Service could put Depardieu into their database, Hitlyanskaya said.
Last week, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine sent the list of foreign artists who ‘pose a threat to national security’ to the Security Service, the National Security Council and the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting.
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Gerard Depardieu, who received Russian citizenship in January 2013, has repeatedly deared Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In March 2014 Depardieu produced a series of watches called “Proud To Be Russian’.
“I am ready to die for Russia, because its people are strong; I do not want to die like a fool in present-day France,” said the 66-year-old actor in an interview with Vanity Fair.
Last week, Gerard Depardieu visited Belarus, where president Lukashenka showed him how to mow grass with a hand scythe. The French actor and restaurant keeper also approved of Lukashenka’s imposing the tax on parasitism.
At this year’s Cannes Film Festival when asked by Belrusian journalist, Depardieu said: “Glory to Ukraine!”
