20/05/2023, 16:47 Obama among 500 banned from Russia in retaliation for US sanctions | Russia | The Guardian

Russia
Obama among 500 banned from Russia in retaliation
for US sanctions
Moscow also denied consular access to detained journalist as US
imposes more punitive measures in response to Ukraine invasion

Reuters
Fri 19 May 2023 18.42 BST

Russia’s foreign ministry has said former President Barack Obama is among 500 US
citizens who will be banned in response to the latest round of sanctions announced
by Washington.

The ministry also said on Friday that Russia had refused the latest US request for
consular access to the detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who
was arrested in March on suspicion of spying.

This move was triggered by the US refusal last month to give

visas to media traveling with the foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, to the United
Nations, it said in a statement.

“Washington should have learned a long time ago that not a single hostile attack on
Russia will go unpunished,” it added.

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Earlier on Friday the United States announced punitive measures against more than
300 targets, aiming to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and intensifying one
of the harshest sanctions efforts ever implemented.

“Today’s actions will further tighten the vise on [Vladimir] Putin’s ability to wage his
barbaric invasion and will advance our global efforts to cut off Russian attempts to
evade sanctions,” the US treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, said in a statement.

The treasury department said it imposed sanctions on 22 people and 104 entities
with touchpoints in over 20 countries or jurisdictions, including companies that
import, ship or manufacture electronics components, semiconductors and
microelectronics to Russia.

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said Friday’s action targeted an

international network that procures components for the Russia-based entity
responsible for the manufacture of the Orlan drone, which Russian forces and their
proxies are using in Ukraine.

Among the targets on Friday were Russian intelligence services procurement

networks and agents, including in Liechtenstein and the Netherlands. The Foreign
Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation was also hit with sanctions.

The treasury department said it was also imposing sanctions on Russia’s energy
educational and research institutions in a bid to “limit Russia’s future extractive
capabilities”.

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