Russia bans 500 Americans from entering country as tensions with Ukraine soar

Russia has banned “500 Americans”, including former US President Barack Obama, from entering the country as tensions continue to soar over the West’s support for Ukraine in the war.

A new list has been released with hundreds of prominent figures included from the US that are now being stopped from coming into Russia by Vladimir Putin.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this is “in response to the regularly anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the Joe Biden administration.”

According to the statement on its website, “it is past time for Washington to learn that no hostile attack against Russia will go unpunished.”

It also added that the list includes those in government and law enforcement agencies who are directly involved in the persecution of dissidents in the wake of the so-called Storming the Capitol.

Also on Russia’s list are former US Ambassador Jon Huntsman, many US senators, and the next likely chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Q. Brown Jr.

The US on Friday announced sanctions on more than 300 targets, to punish Russia for launching a special military operation in Ukraine.

The US Treasury Department said it had imposed sanctions on 22 people and 104 organisations with touchpoints in more than 20 countries including companies that import, ship or manufacture components. electronics, semiconductors and microelectronics to Russia.