Obama, Colbert Among 500 Americans Banned From Russia

The Kremlin declared on Friday that approximately 500 American citizens, including former President Barack Obama, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, late-night host Stephen Colbert, and various members of Congress from both political parties, are prohibited from entering Russia. This decision by Russia’s Foreign Ministry is a direct response to the Biden administration’s implementation of over 300 new sanctions announced at the G-7 summit in Japan. These sanctions were intended to penalize Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The newly imposed sanctions primarily target 22 individuals and 104 entities that have connections in more than 20 countries or regions. The Treasury Department clarifies that these measures aim to address those who are attempting to circumvent or evade existing sanctions and economic measures against Russia.

Notable figures among the Russian officials subject to the sanctions are Deputy Prime Minister Viktoriya Abramchenko and three aides to President Vladimir Putin: Igor Yevgenyevich, Larisa Brycheva, and Dmitriy Shalkov.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen emphasized that the latest sanctions will intensify the pressure on Putin, hindering his ability to carry out the aggressive invasion, and further support global efforts to prevent Russian attempts to evade sanctions.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry justifies the list of barred U.S. citizens by pointing out their involvement in spreading “Russophobic attitudes and fakes.” Additionally, they mention government and law enforcement officials who played a role in the persecution of dissidents after the events commonly known as the Storming of the Capitol, which likely refers to the events of January 6, 2021.

The Foreign Ministry of Russia asserts that Washington needs to understand that any hostile action against Russia will face a strong response. They affirm that the principle of punishment’s inevitability will consistently be applied, whether through increased pressure from sanctions or discriminatory measures that obstruct the professional activities of Russian citizens.

The list of U.S. citizens barred from entering Russia includes notable names such as U.S. Senators JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.), U.S. Representatives Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Aaron Paul (R-Fla.), Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), and Becca Balint (D-Vt.). Late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers are also included. Moreover, Democratic Attorneys General Letitia James of New York and Rob Bonta of California are part of the list.

Furthermore, Russia’s Foreign Ministry disclosed that the U.S. embassy in Moscow requested a consular visit with Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who the U.S. claims is wrongfully detained on espionage charges. However, the request was denied by Russia in response to the U.S.’s refusal to issue visas to Russian journalists who intended to cover Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to the U.N. Security Council in New York in late April.

{Matzav.com}