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Thursday, April 13, 2017

Russia refusing to show Eurovision after Ukraine bans its entrant

Russians are breathing a sigh of relief after a state-owned TV station said it would not broadcast next month's Eurovision Song Contest.

The move comes after host country Ukraine banned Russia's contender.

Singer Yulia Samoylova has been stopped from entering after Kiev's security services said she toured Crimea following Russia's annexation of the peninsula in 2014.

The Channel One TV station said it made its decision after being informed by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that the dispute remained unsettled.

Channel One dismissed an idea from the EBU that Ms Samoylova perform live from Russia.

The 27-year-old singer, who has been confined to a wheelchair since childhood, has confirmed she did tour in Crimea in 2015.

She also sang for the opening of Russia's Paralympic Games in 2014.

At least 140 other Russian artists have been blacklisted by the Ukrainian security services.

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