You're reading: Lithuania to ban entry for several Russians in solidarity with Latvia

Riga/Vilnius - Lithuania is to ban entry for several Russians who are linked to "the aggressive propaganda and brainwashing campaign" in relation to the Ukrainian crisis, Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrius Krivas said.

“A few days ago the Foreign Ministry initiated such a procedure with
respect to several Russian Federation citizens,” he told journalists on
Tuesday, July 29.

“Measures of this nature are due to the current, very tense
international context, the conflict in Ukraine and the fact how the
Russian Federation has been waging an aggressive propaganda and
brainwashing campaign in order to attain the goals it has set itself in
this conflict,” the high-ranking diplomat added.

Krivas would not give the names, citing a legal ban, but added that
this was Lithuania’s way to express its solidarity with the neighboring
Latvia which has blacklisted popular Russian singers Oleg Gazmanov,
Iosif Kobzon and Alla Perfilova better known by her stage name Valeriya.

All three were going to take part in the New Wave music festival which Russian producers organize in Jurmala each year.