Credit: Ben Shread / Cabinet Office
Russia has banned UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other senior UK ministers from entering Russia over the UK’s “hostile” stance towards Russia on the war in Ukraine.
The UK government has been very critical of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and has sent millions of pounds and thousands of military aid to Ukraine which has helped stave off the Russian military’s assault.
Russia announced on Saturday, April 16, that UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and 10 other members of the Cabinet have been barred from the country.
Moscow said the decision was made in retaliation to the UK’s sanctions against Russia since it invaded Ukraine.
In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said: “London’s unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia internationally, creating conditions for containing our country and strangling the domestic economy” were responsible for its decision.
It added: “In essence, the British leadership is deliberately aggravating the situation around Ukraine, pumping the Kyiv regime with lethal weapons and coordinating similar efforts on the part of Nato.”
The full list of UK politicians banned by Russia include:
-Prime Minister Boris Johnson
-Foreign Secretary Liz Truss
-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace
-Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor, and Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab
-Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps
-Home Secretary Priti Patel
-The Chancellor Rishi Sunak
-Minister of Entrepreneurship, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng
-Minister of Digitalization, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine Dorries
Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey
-First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon
-Attorney General for England and Wales and advocate general for -Northern Ireland Suella Braverman
Conservative MP and former British Prime Minister Theresa May
The move comes after the UK and US governments announced further sanctions on Russia this week.
