Russia has added 30 British nationals to its entry ban list, accusing them of supporting “reckless policies” and engaging in “anti-Russian activities,” the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.
Among those banned are senior U.K. officials including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, as well as other prominent British figures such as military personnel, politicians, business leaders, and journalists.
The Moscow Times was unable to immediately verify if all the individuals listed are British citizens, as Russia has previously made mistakes in identifying citizenships in similar ban announcements.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated that these 30 individuals were included on the “stop list” due to their “anti-Russian actions.” The Ministry criticized the British government’s “aggressive anti-Russian rhetoric,” the “unjustified” sanctions imposed by London, and its “reckless support” for Ukraine’s government, which Russia has labeled as “neo-Nazi.”
The Ministry further accused the U.K. of pursuing a path of “systematic confrontation with Russia” and urged British officials to reconsider their approach, advocating for “mutual respect and constructive engagement” in the interest of global stability and security.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country has imposed entry bans on hundreds of foreign nationals, including from the U.S. and U.K. In February, Russia blocked entry to 18 British nationals.
