The list released by Russia includes Joe Biden, Mark Zuckerberg and Morgan Freeman. (File)
Moscow:
Russia on Saturday released a list of 963 prominent Americans, including US President Joe Biden, Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg and Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman, who have been banned from entering the country in retaliation for similar actions by Washington since the offensive in Ukraine.
Those mentioned in the list on the Russian Foreign Ministry website also include US government officials, lawmakers and other leading figures.
Moscow had already announced sanctions against many of those on the list, most notably Joe Biden, its Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and Mark Zuckerberg.
Morgan Freeman, who had not previously been named by Russian authorities, is accused by Moscow of recording a video in 2017 in which he alleged that Russia was colluding against the US.
“The Russian counter-sanctions are necessary and aim to force 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. . Saturday in a statement.
It added that Moscow remained open to “honest dialogue” and distinguished between the US population and authorities “inciting Russophobia”.
Since the offensive in Ukraine, Moscow has banned hundreds of “Anglo-Saxons” from Russia.
On Saturday, it also said it had banned 26 Canadians, including Sophie Trudeau, the wife of the Canadian Prime Minister.
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