The Russian government said on Friday that it has barred 500 Americans from entering the country, including former President Barack Obama.
This was mentioned by the country’s foreign ministry as a reaction to the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the current Biden-led US government.
“In response to the anti-Russian sanctions regularly imposed by the Biden administration… entry into the Russian Federation is closed for 500 Americans,” the foreign ministry said, adding that Obama was among those on the list.
Remember that the US added hundreds more organisations and persons to its sanctions blacklist on Friday as it widened its efforts to cut off Russia’s economy over the Ukraine offensive.
“Washington should have learned a long time ago that not a single hostile step against Russia will be left unanswered,” the foreign ministry said.
Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers were among those named.
Erin Burnett of CNN and Rachel Maddow and Joe Scarborough of MSNBC were also present.
Russia said it has blacklisted senators, congressmen, and think tank members “involved in the spread of Russophobic attitudes and fakes,” as well as the leaders of corporations that “supply weapons to Ukraine.”
In the same announcement, Russia denied consular access to jailed US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in March on suspicion of spying.
The refusal was precipitated by Washington’s reluctance to give visas to journalists accompanying Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the United Nations in April.
