Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday backed a controversial bill that would require pro-Russian groups to register as "foreign agents", borrowing from the playbook of his arch-enemy Vladimir Putin.
"We see how the fifth column is raising its head," the Ukrainian leader said during his annual address to parliament.
"A network of Russian agents is still active in Ukraine," said Poroshenko, claiming they were seeking to get local media under their control.
"They are independent of Ukraine but are controlled by the Kremlin and they are whipping up anti-Ukrainian, anti-European and anti-American sentiments."
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