CNN
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Russia has barred 54 more British citizens from entering the country, in response to UK sanctions against its citizens and businesses, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Russia accused the individuals and entities of engaging in “propaganda in support of the activities of the (Ukrainian) Zelensky regime” and of being “Russophobic,” in its latest update to its sanctions policy on Friday.
The sanctions list includes several government ministers, as well as journalists from the BBC public broadcaster, The Guardian newspaper and the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
“We would like to stress again that any effort by London to further spin the wheel of sanctions against Russia will inevitably meet with a decisive response from us,” the Russian ministry said in a statement.
“Work will continue to expand the Russian ‘block list’ in response to the actions of the British authorities.”
The entry ban includes British prosecutor Karim Khan, who is an elected official of the International Criminal Court, due to his involvement “in issuing a warrant of the Russian leadership”, according to the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
In February, Khan submitted requests to the ICC for arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.
British Cabinet Minister Lucy Frazer, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, was also included on the updated list, with Russian authorities saying she is “actively pushing for Russia’s international sporting isolation.”
Earlier this year, Frazer said in a social media post that he called on sponsors of the Olympics “to join 35 like-minded countries in lobbying the IOC to continue the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes.” compete in international sports competitions,” adding that “we must continue to ensure that Russia and Belarus cannot use sport for propaganda purposes.”
The new sanctions also include British MoD Minister of State Baroness Goldie DL, whom Russia accused of being “responsible for the supply of weapons to Ukraine, including depleted uranium shells”.