Nearly 1,000 Americans banned from entering Russia permanently

"In the context of retaliatory measures against the sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry is publishing a list of US citizens who are permanently banned from entering Russia," the statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website on May 21 said.

The statement included a link to a list of 963 US citizens banned from entering Russia, including US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, FBI Director Christopher Wray and other US officials.

US President Joe Biden at a press conference in Seoul, South Korea on May 21. Photo: AFP.

"We stress that Washington's hostile actions, which hinder the US, will continue to be met with a corresponding response," the Foreign Ministry said.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russia's retaliatory actions were unintentional and aimed at "forcing the US ruling regime, which is trying to impose neo-colonialism on the 'rules-based world order' on the rest of the world, to change its behavior by recognizing new geopolitical realities."

"Russia does not want confrontation and remains open to honest dialogue, mutual respect, separating the American people, who have always received our respect, from the American establishment, who incite anti-Russian sentiment. These are the individuals blacklisted by Russia," the statement stressed.

The list of banned persons also includes most of the US Congress, current and former officials, and even some deceased people such as Senator John McCain and Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Melissa Drisko. Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State under President Donald Trump, is also on the list.

In a separate statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the names of 26 Canadians banned from entering the country, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.

After Russia launched a military campaign in Ukraine in late February, the United States led its allies in imposing several rounds of sanctions on Russia, including removing some Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system, banning imports of many Russian goods, and removing the country’s most-favored-nation status. The United States also announced a ban on imports of oil and other energy products from Russia.

Russia responded by banning the export of more than 200 items in the telecommunications, medical, automotive, agricultural, electrical engineering and technology sectors until the end of 2022. Moscow also required "unfriendly" countries to buy Russian energy in rubles and may expand the list of items that must be traded in this currency.

The West and Russia also responded to each other with sanctions by banning officials and citizens from entering the country and expelling diplomatic representatives.