Almost 100 U.S. citizens have been banned from entering Russia by the country’s foreign ministry, with more than two dozen of them being journalists.
According to the ministry, this group “shall be permanently denied” entry to the country. The ministry said this action was in retaliation to what it calls the “Russophobic” sanctions against Russia, which it said was the U.S.’ efforts to “defeat” Moscow.
The ministry is also upset with what it calls “blanket sanctions” from the U.S. levied against Russian oligarchs and the rich and famous who have links to the Kremlin.
The list of banned Americans includes government officials, activists, academics, and the heads of military and defense companies that have done business with or who have supplied military arms to Ukraine in its fight against Russia, which invaded the country in 2022.
The statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry (RFM) singled out the journalists on the list, pointing out that the banned individuals include reporters and those who work for media outlets Russia calls “liberal globalist.” The RFM says these outlets are “spreading fake claims” about the country and its military and are using “propaganda” to give justification to what it calls “Washington’s hybrid war.” It is not clear why Russia believes that a war it began on Ukraine is a U.S. war.
The banned journalists include the editor in chief of the Wall Street Journal, Emma Tucker, who has loudly criticized the Kremlin for detaining WSJ reporter Evan Gerskovich. He spent 16 months in prison for allegedly spying before being recently released in a prisoner exchange.
The WSJ is particularly unpopular with the Russian ministry; 13 of its current or former staff are on the banned list. Among these are deputy editors, the head of world news, the former bureau chief in Moscow, and more.
But the New York Times and the Washington Post also made the list, with five NYT and four WaPo writers being denied entry to the country.
There are already 2,000 Americans who may not enter Russia, at least that anyone knows about officially.
