Ukraine lifts ban on Russians

KIEV, Ukraine, July 9 (UPI) -- Ukraine Monday lifted a travel ban against five well-known Russians after citing a need to improve relations between the two countries.

The five were banned from entering the Ukraine for attempting to "undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity" and "inciting ethnic and national hatred," the Ukrainian foreign ministry said.

The ministry said the five could now enter the Ukraine but would be stopped on the border each time to be warned of the consequences of repeating their actions, RIA Novosti reported.

The five are identified as Konstantin Zatulin, a Russian lawmaker; ultra-nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky; nationalist analyst Alexander Dugin; pro-Kremlin journalist and TV anchor Mikhail Leontiev and political consultant Gleb Pavlovsky, believed to be behind a purported Russian attempt to interrupt the Ukrainian Orange Revolution in 2004, RIA Novosti said.