Russia has banned 92 individuals from entering the country, including journalists from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
The list also includes leaders and executives from security agencies, military-industrial companies, and financial institutions linked to supporting Ukraine.
Russia's foreign affairs ministry stated that their reason behind the latest ban was due to U.S. President Joe Biden's "Russophobic policies."
The Biden administration has continuously reaffirmed its support for Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion began. On August 19, the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Biden stated, "No commander-in-chief should ever bow down to dictators." In April, Congress passed a military aid bill backed by Biden, which included $61 billion for Ukraine.
Among those barred in the list released are 14 current and former employees of The Wall Street Journal, including its editor in chief, Emma Tucker.
Wall Street Journal writer Evan Gershkovich was recently exchanged in a prisoner swap, but he had been convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He was arrested in Yekaterinburg in late March 2023 while working on a story about the Wagner mercenary group's recruiting methods, as well as Russian citizens' views on the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This latest ban adds to a list of over 2,000 Americans already prohibited from entering Russia.
Russia's descent into totalitarianism under President Vladimir Putin accelerated after the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with harsh crackdowns on independent media and free speech.
Kateryna Denisova
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