US rejects Ukrainian call for blanket ban on visas for Russians

* [US] state department says it does not want to close off pathways for Russian dissidents and victims of human rights abuses to get visas to go to the US.*

I agree with this decision, but I can't tell from the article where the US will draw the line in giving visas to Russians. Do you have to be an active dissident or demonstrably persecuted, or is it enough to have no special connection with the government?