Russia Permanently Bans 963 Americans From Entering Country

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, on May 20, 2022. Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

Russia has permanently banned 963 Americans from entering the country in retaliation for U.S. sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on May 21 published an updated list of U.S. citizens subject to its travel sanctions. The move comes as a response after the United States and allies imposed sanctions on Russia over its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

The list includes previously announced individuals including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley, and CIA Director William Burns.

Also on the list are other members of the Biden administration and hundreds of Democrats and Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate.

Former lawmakers and officials, as well business executives, journalists, and others are also banned from Russia. They include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Biden’s son Hunter Biden, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and billionaire investor George Soros.

Actors Morgan Freeman and Rob Reiner also made the list. The two have worked to support a nonprofit group founded in 2017 called The Committee to Investigate Russia, which seeks to counter Russian interference in U.S. elections. Reiner is on its advisory board while Freeman had spoken in a video produced by the group that year, which referenced alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

“We emphasize that the hostile actions taken by Washington, which boomerang against the United States itself, will continue to receive a proper rebuff,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement accompanying the updated list.

The ministry said that Russia’s travel sanctions are a necessary response to the U.S. sanctions and are aimed at “forcing the ruling American regime, which is trying to impose a neo-colonial ‘rules-based world order’ on the rest of the world, to change its behavior, recognizing new geopolitical realities.”

“Russia does not seek confrontation and is open to honest, mutually respectful dialogue, separating the American people, who are always respected by us, from the U.S. authorities, who incite Russophobia, and those who serve them. It is these people who are included in the Russian ‘black list.’”

Biden on May 21 signed legislation amounting to another $40 billion in U.S. aid for Ukraine, intended to support the country through September. The bill had bipartisan support, and Biden praised lawmakers, saying they sent a clear message that U.S. citizens “stand together with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their democracy and freedom.”

Critics counter that the measure sends more money to Ukraine while Americans face challenges at home, including rising inflation and gas prices, a baby formula shortage, and continued illegal immigrants entering the country via the southern border.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also said it added 26 names to its list of Canadians banned from entering Russia. The names included defense chiefs, defense industry executives, and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the wife of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Russia has also banned Jocelyn Paul, Eric Kenny, and Angus Topshee, who were named last month as the new heads of the Canadian army, air force, and navy, respectively, and executives of companies including Lockheed Martin Canada and Raytheon Canada.

The new list was published four days after Canada introduced legislation that will ban President Vladimir Putin and about 1,000 members of his government and military from traveling there.

In response to sanctions, Russia had already banned Trudeau, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, and hundreds of other Canadians from entering the country.

Reuters contributed to this report.