Russia Imposes Entry Bans on 92 US Nationals, Targeting Journalists and Military Officials

Russia has imposed entry bans on 92 US nationals, including more than two dozen journalists, as announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday. The sanctions come in response to what Moscow describes as the Biden administration's "Russophobic policy" aimed at inflicting a "strategic defeat" on Russia, according to state media TASS.

The list targets US government officials, pro-democracy activists, academics, and leaders of defense contracting firms and financial institutions that supply arms to Ukraine. It includes reporters from major US newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused these journalists of spreading false stories about Russia and its military and of supporting what it calls a "hybrid war" waged by Washington.

Among those banned is Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker, who had advocated for the release of reporter Evan Gershkovich, recently freed in a prisoner swap. The list also names 13 current or former Wall Street Journal employees, including senior editors and bureau chiefs, as well as several journalists from the New York Times and the Washington Post. Reporters from British newspapers are also included.

The sanctions extend to military figures such as US Space Command Commander Stephen Whiting, Space Systems Command Commander Philip Garrant, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb. This move adds to the over 2,000 Americans already barred from entering Russia, including numerous US politicians.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that these sanctions are a response to the "insane sanctions frenzy" of the American elite. The ministry warned that it will...