Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday the addition of 92 Americans to its list of individuals banned from entering the country. The expanded list includes journalists who previously worked in Russia, as well as U.S. law enforcement and business figures.
In a statement, the ministry described the move as a response to the “Russophobic course pursued by the Biden administration with the declared goal of ‘inflicting a strategic defeat on Moscow’.” The ministry specifically targeted what it called “leading liberal-globalist publications involved in the production and dissemination of ‘fakes’ about Russia and the Russian armed forces.”
Among the newly banned individuals are 11 current or former staff members of the Wall Street Journal, including its editor Emma Tucker. Tucker had been vocal in her criticism of Russia following the arrest and conviction on espionage charges of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, who spent 16 months in Russian custody before being released in August as part of a large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and the West.
The ban also extends to five journalists from The New York Times, including Kyiv bureau chief Andrew Kramer, and four from The Washington Post. Additionally, the list includes individuals working for law enforcement agencies, academics, and representatives from businesses and think tanks.
This latest action brings the total number of Americans banned from entering Russia to over 2,000, according to the ministry’s records. The move reflects the ongoing tensions between Russia and the United States, particularly in the realm of media and information dissemination.