Vitalii Sediuk, the Ukrainian reporter who was famously slapped by Will Smith after he allegedly tried to kiss him on the mouth at the Russian premiere of MIB3, apologized for his behavior, but claims he wasn't aiming for Smith's lips at all.

"Now I understand it was too much," says Sediuk in an interview with Hip Hollywood. "But I just tried to kiss him in cheek, and he moved his head so fast, so then it turned out as if I wanted to kiss him in the lip or in the ear."

He went on to refute the suggestion that he is a gimmicky reporter whose "shtick" it is to forcibly kiss celebrities on the red carpet. "I don't kiss every man or women when I meet her or him in the street," he said, "but that time I decided to do that."

Sediuk promised that next time he meets Smith — and he sincerely hopes there will be a next time — he will simply shake his hand.

[video via HipHollywood]