Lithuania snubs pro-Kremlin pop star

Lithuania has denied entry to a Russian pop singer known for his patriotic songs and his pro-Kremlin stance on the Ukraine conflict, officials said Thursday, underscoring tensions with Moscow in the Baltic region.

Border guards stopped 65-year-old Oleg Gazmanov late Wednesday at Vilnius airport after he arrived from Moscow with a Schengen visa issued by Italy.

The singer was allowed to stay overnight at an airport hotel before taking a flight back to Moscow, border guards said.

Local media said he had been due to perform at private party in the NATO and EU member state.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told AFP the ban was imposed over the star’s “aggressive propaganda” supporting Russia’s “aggressive actions” in neighbouring countries.

“We respect freedom of speech, but there are red lines that cannot be crossed when it comes to violence, aggression and warmongering,” the minister said.

Gazmanov has long been criticised in the Baltic states for songs praising the Soviet Union which annexed Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in World War II under a deal with Nazi Germany.

Moscow hit back accusing Vilnius of making artists “hostages of very petty and indeed sick political ambitions and fomenting anti-Russian emotions”.

“We will definitely take note of what happened to reflect on our bilateral agenda,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in comments quoted by the Interfax news agency.

Relations between NATO and Moscow have sharply deteriorated since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014, sparking fears among other eastern European countries that they too could be targets of Russian aggression.

The Kremlin denies any territorial ambitions and bitterly opposed NATO’s buildup in the Baltic states and Poland.