Kremlin regrets ex-Soviet leader Gorbachev was hit by Ukraine’s sanctions

The Kremlin regrets that former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev has been named persona non grata in Ukraine.

"I can only express regret amid another extension of the list of persona non grata, more over the inclusion of such veterans of politics - our politics and global politics - as Gorbachev," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Peskov added that he does not know about the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue. He also refused to answer a question if a meeting of Putin and Gorbachev was expected in the near future. "I am not ready to answer, I have not seen this in the schedule."

Gorbachev has refused to comment on the decision of Ukraine’s authorities.

Earlier, Ukraine’s security service SBU banned Gorbachev from entering Ukraine for five years over "his public support" for Crimea’s reunification with Russia. This came in response to Gorbachev’s interview with Sunday Times magazine on May 22 in which he said that he would have acted the same way as Putin if he had found himself in a similar situation. "I’m always with the free will of the people and most in Crimea wanted to be reunited with Russia," Gorbachev said.
[tass.ru]
27/5/16
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• Ex-Soviet leader banned from entering Ukraine