Moscow bans over 900 prominent Americans from Russia

Russia published a list of 963 prominent Americans, including US Vice President Joe Biden, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman, who have been barred from entering the country in retaliation for similar moves by Washington since the Ukraine offensive began.

The list on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website also includes US government officials, legislators, and other prominent figures.

Many of those on the list have already been sanctioned by Moscow, including Biden, his Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the head of the Pentagon Lloyd Austin, and Zuckerberg.

Freeman, who had not previously been named by Russian authorities, is accused by Moscow of having recorded a video in 2017 in which he claimed Russia was plotting against the US.

“The Russian counter-sanctions are necessary and aim to constrain the US which is trying to impose a neocolonial ‘world order’ on the rest of the planet… to change its position and recognize new geopolitical realities,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

It added that Moscow remained open to “honest dialogue” and drew a distinction between the people of the US and the authorities “inciting Russophobia”.

Since the Ukrainian offensive, Moscow has barred hundreds of “Anglo-Saxons” from entering the country.

On Saturday, it announced the exclusion of 26 more Canadians, including Sophie Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada’s wife.