Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it had banned entry to 287 British MPs in response to the UK's sanctions against Russian parliamentarians.
“In response to the decision taken by the British government on March 11 to add 386 State Duma deputies to a sanctions list, in a reciprocal move, personal restrictions are being placed on 287 members of the House of Commons,” the ministry said in a statement. The House of Commons has 650 members.
“These persons, who are now banned from entering the Russian Federation, took the most active part in the establishment of anti-Russian sanctions instruments in London, contribute to the groundless whipping up of Russophobic hysteria in the UK,” a translation of the statement reported by state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti said.
“The hostile rhetoric and far-fetched accusations coming from the lips of British parliamentarians not only condone the hostile course of London, aimed at demonising our country and its international isolation, but are also used by opponents of a mutually respectful dialogue with Russia to undermine the foundation of bilateral co-operation.”
Among those to have been barred from Russia are former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, Brexit Opportunities Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Therese Coffey, and Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle.
The latest sanctions follow those imposed on 13 British politicians including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, and Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused them of “inciting the Neo-Nazi Kyiv regime” and stirring Russophobia to the detriment of the British people.
Wednesday's sanctions are unlikely to be the last.
“Taking into account London's bet on the consistent strengthening of anti-Russian sanctions, work on retaliatory countermeasures, including the expansion of the Russian stop list, will continue,” Russia's Foreign Ministry said.
Oligarchs sanctioned by the UK — in pictures
-
The UK has sanctioned more than 1,400 individuals and businesses, including 100 oligarchs and their relatives, since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. The list of oligarchs includes: Roman Abramovich, 55. PA -
Katerina Tikhonova, left, and Maria Vorontsova, unseen, also known as Maria Putina, daughters of Russia President Vladimir Putin. Reuters -
Oleg Deripaska, 54. The industrialist is worth £2 billion and has had close links with the British political establishment. He has a multimillion pound property portfolio in the UK. Reuters -
Igor Sechin, 61. Officials described Mr Sechin as Mr Putin's right-hand man and the second most important person in the country. Reuters -
Andrey Kostin, 65. The chairman of VTB, a Russian state-owned bank. Mr Kostin is also a member of the supreme council of the United Russia political party and deemed a close associate of Mr Putin. AP Photo -
Alexei Miller, 60. The chief executive of energy company Gazprom, Russia's largest company and the world's biggest public energy supplier. AFP -
Nikolai Tokarev, 71, president of the Russia state-owned pipeline company Transneft. Mr Tokarev is a former KGB officer who served with Mr Putin in East Germany towards the end of the Cold War. AP Photo -
Kirill Shamalov, 39. He is Russia's youngest billionaire and the ex-husband of Mr Putin's daughter Katerina Tikhonova. Reuters -
Pyotr Fradkov, 43. He is head of the sanctioned Promsvyazbank, which finances Russian defence industries, and the son of Mikhail Fradkov, a former prime minister of Russia and chief of its foreign intelligence service. Reuters -
Denis Bortnikov, 47. The deputy president of government-affiliated VTB bank. His father, Alexander Bortnikov, is head of the Federal Security Service. Getty Images -
Yury Slyusar, 47. The director of United Aircraft Corporation, one of the major defence organisations that has also been sanctioned. Getty Images
