You're reading: Tsariov denies Russian entry ban

 Leader of the South-East movement and former Ukrainian parliamentarian Oleh Tsariov has denied reports that he has been banned from entering Russia.

 “This is a fake. I came from Russia only today,” Tsariov told Interfax in commenting on media reports alleging that Russia imposed an entry ban on him.

Asked whether he is currently in Ukraine, Tsariov said, “Yes. But when this was being spread, I had been on Russian territory for two days, and believe me, I’ll return there, and there’ll be no problems.”

A number of media outlets reported earlier with reference to the website of the Institute of Research and Development of Eastern-European Countries that Tsariov had been banned from entering Russia.

Ukraine has declared Tsariov wanted.

Tsariov ran for president in the recent presidential elections in Ukraine, but his representative notified the Ukrainian Central Elections Commission of his withdrawal from the race on May 1, 2014.

Members of the Ukrainian parliamentary majority have claimed on numerous occasions that Tsariov has collaborated with separatists in eastern Ukraine and that some of his actions threatened Ukraine’s territorial integrity and inviolability.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office asked the parliament on May 29 to deprive Tsariov of immunity so that he could be detained and prosecuted. The Verkhovna Rada deprived Tsariov of immunity and gave its consent to his prosecution on June 3.

Members of the parliament of the union of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics elected Tsariov its chairman on June 26. Tsariov has participated in tripartite consultations between Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.