According to ESCKaz, both national broadcasters from Russia – Channel One, and RTR have agreed that if Julia Samoylova is indeed going to be banned from Eurovision 2017 in Ukraine, she will be the Russian Eurovision entrant in 2018, wherever the Contest may be.

Russia’s Channel One made the following statement:

In case that Ukraine doesn’t allow Julia Samoylova to participate in Eurovision this year, regardless of the hosting country of the next year’s contest, she will be the representative of Russia.

Earlier today, the Ukrainian SBU security service has banned Julia from entering the country for a period of three years, and she is thus ineligible to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest. Olena Gitlianska, spokeswoman of SBU, published on Facebook their decision to ban Russia’s Eurovision contestant:

The Security Service of Ukraine has banned the citizen of the Russian Federation Yulia Samoylova from entering the country for a period of three years. This decision has been taken based on data received about breaking her legislation of Ukraine.

The Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Mr. Jon Ola Sand stated that the EBU will continue a dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities with the aim of ensuring that all artists can perform at the 62nd Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv.

Julia Samoylova was selected as the Russian Eurovision entrant for this year with the song “Flame Is Burning”.