Russia imposes 'mirror sanctions' on 398 members of US Congress in a tit-for-tat move

In retaliation to sanctions levied on Russian lawmakers last month, Moscow on Wednesday added 398 members of the US Congress to its list of travel bans. In a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the authorities stated that it was slapping "mirror sanctions" against the US Congress members. The list of those sanctioned by Moscow includes representatives from both the Republican and Democrats sides of the aisle.

"Taking into account the sanctions the U.S. is constantly introducing, further announcements of Russian countermeasures are planned in the near future," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in the release.

“These individuals, including the leadership and committee chairmen of the lower house of the U.S. Congress, are placed on the Russian ‘stop list’ on a permanent basis,” it added.

Unsurprisingly, the move was in retaliation to the US-led sanction of 328 Russian Parliament on March 24. Subsequently, the Russian Foreign Ministry also informed that it was expelling a senior Czech from the European Union country's embassy in Moscow. Separately, Russia also banned at least 87 Canadian Senators in a tit-for-tat move.

US Congressmen react to Russia's move

Republican Senator Dean Phillips on Wednesday retorted to the news of sanctions imposed against him by Russia. Taking to Twitter, he recalled how his family escaped "the Russian pogroms" of the late 19 century and was later granted asylum in the US. “Today, 120 years later, I was sanctioned by Russia for opposing the very genocide, authoritarianism, and tyranny I promised my great-grandparents I would fight," he wrote. Another Democrat Senator Brendan Boyle reacted rather sarcastically at the news of his inclusion in the travel ban list of Russia. "Well, there goes my Spring Break plans," he remarked. Utah Republican Senator John Curtis welcomed his ban, saying that it was "an honour to be included."

Russia's travel ban list

The Russia-led sanctions come weeks after the Kremlin expelled a handful of American diplomats from the US embassy in Russia amid the mounting tensions between Moscow and Washington in the wake of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The move also came following the US' removal of 12 Russian envoys in late March. It is pertinent to mention that Russia has already banned US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "on a reciprocity basis". Further, it has also imposed travel bans on US President Joe Biden, and State Secretary Antony Blinken last month.

(Image: AP)