Russia has banned 92 US citizens including more than two dozen journalists, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.
Varied measures of sanctions have been made. In “response to the Biden administration’s Russophobic policy with a stated goal of ‘inflicting a strategic defeat on Moscow’,” state media TASS said.
It includes US government members, pro-democracy activists, academics, and leaders of defense-contracting firms. And financial institutions that supply weapons to Ukraine in response to Russia’s war.
Certain reporters from the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the New York Times are also in the ban.
The list includes “editorial staff and reporters of leading liberal-globalist publications involved in the production and distribution of fake news stories about Russia and the Russian armed force. As well as propaganda that conceals the ‘hybrid war’ unleashed by Washington,” it said.
Among those on the list is Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker. They advocated for reporter Evan Gershkovich, whom authorities released earlier this month in a prisoner swap.
Another 13 current or former employees at the WSJ on the list include the outlet’s deputy editor-in-chief. Its head of the world news division, its Kyiv bureau chief, its former Moscow bureau chief, and a member of its editorial board.
The list also included five New York Times journalists, four Washington Post journalists. And a few reporters from British papers.
Commander of the US Space Command Stephen Whiting, Commander of Space Systems Command Philip Garrant. And Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Space Policy John Plumb also figure on the sanctions list.
The sanctions add more than 2,000 Americans to the list of those who have already been barred entry into the country. Including many US politicians.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the move was in response to the “insane sanctions frenzy of the American ruling elite“. And promised that it “will further continue this practice with determination and consistency, adding those who are directly involved in anti-Russian activities to the lists.”
The statement from the ministry says it wants to remind the “current US authorities that punishment is inevitable for hostile acts”. Whether they directly encourage Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy. And his “sidekicks” to “commit acts of aggression and terrorist attacks or represent attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation.”
The US Treasury Department has recently stated that it has targeted companies. And individuals “whose products and services enable Russia to sustain its military efforts and evade sanctions”.
The sanctions list published on August 23 listed 34 Russians, including Pavel Belousov, son of the Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov.
The Bureau of Industry and Security, part of the US Commerce Department, announced new measures. It is acting decisively to deny Russia and Belarus access to US-origin and “US branded” items. This action aims to hinder the Kremlin’s illegal war on Ukraine.
In addition, BIS added 123 entities to the Entity List under 131 entries. This also includes 63 entities in Russia or Crimea. 42 in China and Hong Kong, and 14 in Turkey, Iran, and Cyprus.
Since March 2022, BIS has added 1,056 entries. This is in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and ongoing aggression.
ANI
