WASHINGTON — The Russian foreign ministry announced Thursday that it's sanctioning more than two dozen U.S. citizens, including Vice President Kamala Harris, by denying them entry to the country.
The ministry said in a statement that the move comes 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.
Several U.S. officials are on the list of 29 citizens that have been banned from traveling to Russia, including White House chief of staff Ronald Klain, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Holland Hicks, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, State Department spokesperson Ned Price and Doug Emhoff, Harris’ husband.
The Russian government also sanctioned some prominent U.S. businesspeople — including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Bank of America CEO Brian Thomas Moynihan, LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky and several heads of major defense companies — describing them as people who “form the Russophobic agenda.”
Journalists and media personalities on the list include ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius and CNN senior international analyst Bianna Golodryga.
Russia had previously imposed sanctions prohibiting some American officials from entering the country in March. That round included President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, as well as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The new sanctions came as Biden announced a substantial $1.3 billion aid package to Ukraine including $800 million in heavy artillery weapons, including 72 howitzers and 144,000 rounds of ammunition, along with 121 tactical “ghost” drones. The U.S. also plans to provide another $500 million in humanitarian and economic assistance.
