54 British journalists and politicians are prohibited from visiting Russia

54 British people, including journalists and politicians, have been denied entry to Russia, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, for their alleged participation in “propaganda support of the (Ukrainian) Zelensky regime’s activities” and for being “Russophobic.”

According to a statement released by the Ministry late on Friday, “We would like to emphasize once more that any efforts by London to further spin the anti-Russian sanctions flywheel will inevitably receive a decisive response from our side.”

In reaction to the acts of the British authorities, “work on expanding the Russian’stop list’ will continue,” it was noted.

Journalists from the BBC, the Guardian, and the Daily Telegraph are among those on the sanctions list, along with well-known politicians including Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, Minister of State for Defense Annabel Goldie, and Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan.

According to the Ministry’s statement, Khan was included on the list as a result of his participation “in issuing a warrant for the arrest of the Russian leadership.”

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March of this year, the BBC said, accusing him of the war crime of forcibly removing children from Ukraine, which Moscow denies.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Frazer should be excluded because she was “actively lobbying for the international sports isolation of Russia.”

Frazer urged Olympic Games sponsors earlier this year to “join 35 like-minded nations and press the IOC for a continued ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes competing in international sporting competitions,” adding that “we must continue to ensure that Russia and Belarus cannot use sport for their propaganda purposes,” according to CNN. Frazer made the request in a social media post.

The Ministry accused Goldie of being “responsible for the supply of weapons to Ukraine, including depleted uranium shells” at the same time.

Numerous British journalists, defense experts, and elected MPs have already been denied entry to Russia.

Clive Myrie and Orla Guerin from the BBC were among the journalists who reported from Ukraine to be banned in June of last year.

Tim Davie, the director general of the BBC, was also included.

A number of Western nations, including the UK, imposed sanctions on Russia in retaliation for its all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The import of products from Russia, such as diamonds, oil, and gas, is among them.

The BBC stated that the British government earlier this month launched the “largest ever UK action” aimed at restricting Russia’s access to foreign military supplies.

The US, EU, UK, and other nations have imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 Russian companies and people.