Russia bans US government members from entering the country | abroad

The two cabinet members are Minister of Justice Merrick Garland and Minister of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorcas. John Bolton, former national security advisor to former President Donald Trump, has also been blacklisted.

Russia announced earlier that it would deport ten US diplomats from the country. It will also issue sanctions against the United States. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the Interfax news agency that Russia would additionally restrict the activities of American organizations and institutions that interfere in the country’s internal affairs. In addition, US diplomats’ missions in Russia have been reduced, he said.

Lavrov called on US Ambassador John Sullivan to return to Washington for consultations. Earlier, Moscow had already recalled its ambassador, Anatoly Antonov, to return from Washington.
These measures come in response to the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats from the United States on Thursday. The reasons for this were suspicions of Moscow interference in the elections and piracy attacks attributed to Moscow. In addition, the United States has issued a series of new sanctions, including against six Russian technology companies working for Russian intelligence services. Sanctions were also imposed on 32 people and organizations that, according to the United States, tried to influence the elections at the request of Moscow.

Despite the new sanctions, President Joe Biden said Thursday he would take over He does not want tensions with Russia to reach a climax. Earlier on Friday, Russia welcomed these remarks. Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin called each other a few days ago. Biden suggested meeting in a third country.

Russia also announced on Friday that it would expel five Polish diplomats from the country. Previously, Poland expelled three Russian diplomats “in solidarity” with the United States.