Earlier today, it was officially announced that 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.

The EBU just published an official statement on this matter:

It has been confirmed to the EBU that the Ukrainian authorities have issued a travel ban on the Russian artist chosen for the Eurovision Song Contest, Julia Samoylova, as she has been judged to have contravened Ukrainian law by entering Crimea in order to perform.

We have to respect the local laws of the host country, however we are deeply disappointed in this decision as we feel it goes against both the spirit of the Contest, and the notion of inclusivity that lies at the heart of its values.

We 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 in May.

Whether Russia will still take part in Eurovision 2017 or not is yet to be clarified. Stay tuned for more information to come.