Russian Foreign Ministry says personal sanctions imposed on 25 U.S. citizens as response to similar U.S. steps

MOSCOW. Sept 5 (Interfax) - Russia has imposed personal sanctions on 25 citizens of the United States as a retaliatory measure, and the list includes members of the U.S. Congress, high-ranking public officials as well as representatives of business and expert communities and cultural figures, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"As a retaliatory measure to the constantly expanding personal sanctions on Russian citizens by the [U.S. President] Joe Biden administration, another group of members of the U.S. Congress, high-ranking public officials, representatives of the business and expert communities, as well as cultural figures (25 persons), are banned from entering Russia permanently," the statement said.

In particular, the Russian stop list includes Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and three of her deputies. Additionally, American actors Sean Penn and Ben Stiller are added to the list. In total, there are currently 1,073 individuals on the list of U.S. citizens under Russian personal sanctions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the "hostile actions of the U.S. authorities" will continue to be resolutely countered.