Russia has expanded a list of EU officials prohibited from entering the country amid worsening tensions over Ukraine. The move comes as “reciprocation” for restrictive measures Brussels put on Moscow.Russia has added a number of European Union officials to a list of people barred from entering the country as a tit-for-tat response to restrictions imposed on Moscow by Brussels.<\/p>\n
“Guided by the principle of reciprocity and parity, the Russian side decided to expand a list of representatives of EU member states and institutions who are prohibited from entering Russia,” a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Russia blacklisted the heads of some European private military firms, some members of security services, EU lawmakers and other Mofficials who are “personally responsible for promoting anti-Russian policies,” according to a statement on the Ministry’s website.<\/p>\n
The Foreign Ministry did not disclose the number of people involved or their names.<\/p>\n
The EU reacted on Friday by saying that it “deplored” the new sanctions by Russia.<\/p>\n
“The European Union deplores the decision by Russian authorities… to ban an unknown number of representatives of EU member states and institutions from entry into Russia,” an EU spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
“This decision lacks any legal justification and transparency and will meet an appropriate response,” the statement added.<\/p>\n
The ban comes amid heightened tensions between the West and Russia over Ukraine.<\/p>\n
The West has warned Moscow of a coordinated response if it launches an attack on neighboring Ukraine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Russia has expanded a list of EU officials prohibited from entering the country amid worsening tensions over Ukraine. The move comes as “reciprocation” for restrictive measures Brussels put on Moscow.Russia has added a number of European Union officials to a list of people barred from entering the country as a tit-for-tat response to restrictions imposed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":222811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[337,3501,338,456],"class_list":{"0":"post-241463","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-ban","9":"tag-european-union","10":"tag-russia","11":"tag-ukraine"},"yoast_head":"\n