Sanctioned Russian interior minister travels to New York for UN summit

Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev has arrived in New York to attend a gathering of senior law enforcement officials from United Nations member states, despite being under US sanctions that formally bar his entry into the country.

“The head of the Russian Interior Ministry will take part in the Fifth Summit of Police Chiefs of the UN member states,” Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said.

Volk added that Kolokoltsev is also scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

The visit marks Kolokoltsev’s second trip to the United States since he was placed under US sanctions in 2018, which include restrictions prohibiting entry into US territory. In 2022, members of a Russian Interior Ministry delegation were denied visas on that basis, preventing their participation in a similar event.

By Tamilla Hasanova