The flamboyant head of the Liberal Democratic Party said he would be happy if his name appeared on the U.S. Magnistky list, Interfax reported Thursday.
"Let them put me on any 'Magnistky list' a hundred times. I will only be delighted, as this will mean that the enemy considers me a strong force to be reckoned with," Vladimir Zhirinovksy said at the "Russia in the Contemporary World — Information Partnership" media forum hosted by the Public Chamber.
He noted that U.S. officials have always issued him visas in the past without any hurdles.
Investigative Committee head Alexander Bastrykin echoed a similar sentiment earlier, when he said that it would be an "honor" to be included on the Magnitsky list, as reported by Itar-Tass on March 20.
Russian human rights activists campaigned for Bastrykin's inclusion in the list for his handling of the investigation of the 2009 death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.
In December 2012, the United States passed the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, which imposes a visa ban and asset freezes on Russian officials suspected of involvement in Magnistky's death and other human rights violations.
There is so far no information regarding who is actually included on the blacklist of Russian officials to be punished under the act. The list is expected to be published by the end of March.
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