Ukraine has urged its citizens to refrain from travelling to Russia for the World Cup, citing “threats to personal safety”, as thousands of Ukrainians plan to travel across the border to watch the tournament.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Ukrainian foreign ministry warned its nationals of a “serious” risk to their safety if they travelled to Russia for the World Cup, pointing to Kremlin propaganda inciting “anti-Ukrainian sentiments.”
Over the past few years, dozens of Ukrainians have been arrested in Russia and the annexed peninsula of Crimea on what Kiev and international human rights watchdogs say are fabricated or politically motivated charges.