The Russian Federation has imposed a travel ban on 29 Americans in a measure that has come in retaliation for what it termed as Washington’s “ever-expanding anti-Russian sanctions”.
On Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that US Vice President Kamala Harris, Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby, White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain and several other White House officials would be barred to enter Russian territories.
The list also stretched beyond administration to include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff. Interestingly, both Zuckerberg and Emhoff are Jews- a community Moscow has vowed to protect from Ukrainian Nazis.
In a statement, the ministry said that ban came in response to “ever-expanding anti-Russian sanctions” brought by the Biden administration that have targeted Moscow officials and their families, as well as scientists, businessmen and cultural figures.
Notably, the kremlin also targeted multiple American journalists including CNN senior international analyst Bianna Golodryga, and Washington Post columnist David Ignatius amongst others.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed triumph in the besieged city of Mariupol on Thursday, despite an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters still holed up at Azovstal Plant.
“Mariupol has been liberated,” defence minister Sergei Shoigu said during a televised meeting with Putin.
