Russia's Foreign Ministry announced on Monday a new list of public figures banned from entering the country. Sean Penn, Ben Stiller and six senators are among the 25 U.S. persons who are not welcome by Vladimir Putin's administration. These measures were disseminated 194 days into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an armed conflict that has claimed thousands of civilian and military lives.
"The hostile actions of the U.S. authorities, which continue to pursue a Russophobic course, destroying bilateral relations and escalating the confrontation between Russia and the United States, will continue to be resolutely rejected," Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Lavrov said.
Six senators
Actor and director Sean Penn traveled to Kiev at the end of June to express his support for Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski and hold a meeting with him, and also filmed a documentary about the war. Ben Stiller traveled to Kiev on behalf of the UN to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with whom he spent Refugee Day, celebrated on June 20.
Among the VIPs who are banned from entering Russia "permanently" are the SU.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina RaimondoMark Edward Kelly of Arizona, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Michael Rounds of South Dakota, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Rick Scott of Florida and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
