92 more Americans banned from entering Russia

New Delhi, Aug 29: Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday the addition of 92 Americans to its list of individuals banned from entering the country as reported by the international news agencies.

The newly banned individuals include journalists who have previously worked in Russia, as well as law enforcement officials, business figures, and academics.

In a statement, the ministry explained that the bans were a response to what it described as the “Russophobic course pursued by the Biden administration,” which it accused of aiming to “inflict a strategic defeat on Moscow.”

The ministry specifically targeted journalists, accusing them of representing “leading liberal-globalist publications involved in the production and dissemination of ‘fakes’ about Russia and the Russian armed forces.”

Among those now banned are 11 current or former staff members of the Wall Street Journal, including Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker. Tucker has been a vocal critic of Russia, particularly regarding the arrest and conviction on espionage charges of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Gershkovich spent 16 months in a Russian prison before being released in August as part of a prisoner exchange.

The list also includes five journalists from The New York Times, including Kyiv Bureau Chief Andrew Kramer, and four journalists from The Washington Post. The ministry did not specify the exact reasons these individuals were included but implied it was due to their reporting on Russia and its actions. In addition to journalists, the ban has been extended to individuals working in law enforcement, academia, business, and think tanks.

Russia has now banned more than 2,000 Americans from entry, according to the ministry’s list, reflecting the deepening tensions between Moscow and Washington.