United States bans visa issuance to about 20 senior Ukrainian government officials

08:35, 20.02.2014 1 min read

The United States has banned visa issuance to some 20 senior officials of Ukraine's government who are considered liable for acts of violence in Ukraine, the U.S. Department of State said.

"So today [Wednesday], we moved to restrict visas, to deny – to ban visa issuance to some 20 senior members of the Ukrainian government and other individuals who we considered responsible for, complicit in, or responsible for ordering or otherwise directing human rights abuses related to political repression in Ukraine," a senior State Department official told reporters on Wednesday.

The names of those involved haven't been disclosed.

"In the event that things go well, these visa sanctions that we've put in place are reversible, but in the event that they do not go well, there are other steps that we can take in close coordination with the EU in coming days," the official said.