In response to American sanctions over Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, Moscow is now imposing travel bans on US President Joe Biden and other US government officials.
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday released a "blacklist" of 13 names, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Biden's national security adviser Jacob Sullivan and his spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
Ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also on the “stop list”.
It is the first time that Russia has published a list of affected persons.
However, the move is more symbolic.
The United States had previously personally sanctioned Russian President Vladimir Putin, his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other government officials and important aides.
Sanctions list to be expanded
The State Department in Moscow said it was a response to unprecedented US sanctions banning senior Russian officials from entering the United States.
"This move, as a countermeasure, was the inevitable consequence of the extreme Russophobic course of the current US administration, which is unscrupulously attempting the frontal containment of Russia in a desperate attempt to maintain American hegemony," the statement said.
The ministry said it would expand the sanctions list to include "senior US officials, military officials, lawmakers, businessmen, experts and members of the media" who have acted "Russophobic" or have contributed to inciting hatred against Russia and the imposition of restrictive measures.
This should also protect the Russian economy.
Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24.
As a result, the USA, the EU and other countries issued comprehensive economic and financial sanctions against Russia.