Journalist from Kazakhstan Barred from Entering Russia

Irina Mednikova, a journalist, public figure, and founder of the Youth Information Service of Kazakhstan, has been barred from entering Russia. In a Facebook post, Mednikova revealed that she has been listed as an "undesirable person" by Russian authorities, Orda.kz reports.

She learned about the restriction from airport staff shortly before boarding a flight to Moscow, where she was planning to attend her sister’s anniversary celebration. The employees referred to a notification linked to her surname and advised her not to proceed with the trip.

The airport staff said this isn’t the first case — they’ve seen several others. Apparently, Russia is even working on a website to publish a list of all the people it deems undesirable,Mednikova wrote. 

She also noted that such bans are only revealed at the airport on the day of travel. There is no prior notice —nothing appears when purchasing tickets or through any other channels.

This incident follows a similar case involving Didar Smagulov, executive director of the public association Adildik Joly. He recently announced that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) had issued him a lifetime ban from entering the country. 

Earlier this year, Russian political analyst Andrei Grozin, known for controversial statements about Kazakhstan, was reportedly denied entry into the country. His name may have been added to Kazakhstan’s list of foreign nationals declared unwelcome due to "unfriendly rhetoric."

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova