Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Foreign Affairs Ministry denies story

hat the American bureau chief of Radio Liberty's Ukraine service had been threatened by Ukrainian security agents and possibly kicked out of the country, the Foreign Affairs Ministry denied the story.

Viktor Kiryk, who heads the Foreign Ministry's consular affairs section, told journalists June 19 that neither Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) nor the Interior Ministry had informed his ministry of any decision to declare Roman Kupchinsky - chief of the Ukrainian Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) - persona non grata.

Reports that Kupchynsky had been banned first surfaced June 15 when news agency UNIAN quoted Kupchinsky as saying that men resembling security agents had approached him in Kyiv on June 14 to express dissatisfaction with his station's coverage of the ongoing political scandals in the country.

Kupchinsky said the men informed him of a "top level" decision to expel him from Ukraine and to bar him from returning, according to UNIAN.

Kupchinsky left the country June 15 and was at RFE/RL headquarters in Prague by June 18. When contacted there by the Post, Kupchynsky withheld comment.

SBU spokesman Oleksandr Skripnyk also declined to comment on the threats to expel Kupchinsky.

"We do not comment on expulsion cases," he told the Post on June 18.

After seeing press reports, however, the U.S. Embassy was in contact with Ukrainian authorities on June 16 and 17. The embassy said it was assured that Kupchinsky's status had not changed and that he was free to enter Ukraine as before.

"Our understanding is that the Foreign Ministry confirmed today at a press briefing that Mr. Kupchynsky is not banned from entering Ukraine and that he retains his local press accreditation," a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said June 19.

Representatives at RFE/RL station headquarters welcomed the news that Kupchinsky's alleged ban had apparently been either lifted or misreported by UNIAN in the first place.

RFE/RL welcomed the news of the Foreign Ministry that Mr. Kupchinsky will not be barred from entering Ukraine.

"We are especially pleased because this clarifies and corrects statements made to Kupchinsky by other Ukrainian officials," the station said.

RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service has broadcast a number of stories that have irked Ukrainian authorities. Among them have been on-air interviews with security guard Mykola Melnychenko, who fled Ukraine last November after releasing recordings that allegedly contain the voice of President Leonid Kuchma plotting several high-level crimes including the disappearance of murdered opposition journalist Georgy Gongadze.

Melnychenko was granted political asylum in the United States in April.

See related articles:

Putting the Melnychenko tapes in context

Evaded taxes, lies and audiotapes



Melnychenko given U.S. refuge