Russia has barred entry to 92 journalists, lawyers and businessmen accused of involvement in Washington’s anti-Russian campaign. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country confirmed this information in a statement on Wednesday.
Diplomatic relations between the United States and Moscow have almost reached rock bottom due to the military operations of Russian forces in Ukraine. This is the first time since the end of the Cold War that the relationship between the world’s two superpowers has become so bitter. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday issued a veiled warning to the United States and its Western allies that the Western world was “playing with fire” by allowing Ukraine to attack inside Russia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published the list of names of 92 persons under the ban on social media Telegram. At least 24 American journalists are in this list. 14 of them are working at the Wall Street Journal, 5 at the New York Times and 4 at the Washington Post.
“Those who spread rumors and propaganda against Russia and the Russian people in the name of so-called freedom, free world, do not need to enter Russian territory,” the ministry said in a statement.
Ivan Gershovich, the senior journalist of the Wall Street Journal, was released this month after 16 months of imprisonment in Russia. Calling the Russian Foreign Ministry’s list “ridiculous,” Gershovitch said in a statement yesterday, “The administration led by Vladimir Putin is hostile to free and objective journalism.” For years they have been attacking truth tellers. This move is also part of that attack. This list by the Russian Foreign Ministry is ridiculous and we are not surprised by it.”
The New York Times and the Washington Post did not respond to the issue.