More than two dozen US citizens including Vice President Kamala Harris have been denied entry into Russia, according to a sanction note released by the Russian foreign ministry.
Top US officials such as White House chief of staff Ronald Klain, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Holland Hicks, and State Department spokesperson Ned Price appear on the list of those banned from entering Russia. Doug Emhoff, Harris' husband has also banned from traveling to Russia, according to a statement released by the Russian foreign ministry.
America's well-known businesspeople such as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, and Bank of America CEO Brian Thomas Moynihan, apart from some leaders of defense companies have also been sanctioned for their alleged part in "the Russophobic agenda".
"These persons are denied entry to the Russian Federation on an indefinite basis."Russian Foreign Ministry, 21 April 2022
Media personalities and journalists who have also been included on the list are: ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, and CNN senior international analyst Bianna Golodryga.
The first round of sanctions declared in March banned President Joe Biden, his son Hunter Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The second round of travel bans is a response to Biden administration's "ever-expanding anti-Russian sanctions" that have been made against Moscow officials, their families, scientists, cultural icons, and businessmen.
Biden recently committed to provide aid to Ukraine with $800 million in the form of heavy artillery weapons as a part of a $1.3 billion aid package. Moreover, the US plans to provide $500 million economic assistance and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)