Russia has added 39 British nationals to its list of individuals banned from entering the country.
Among those included on the list are former U.K. prime minister David Cameron, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, and Foreign and Commonwealth Office communications director Helen Bower-Easton, as well as The Times columnist David Aaronovitch and The Economist deputy editor Edward Carr.
“Taking into account the destructive desire of London to spin the sanctions flywheel under far-fetched and absurd pretexts, work on expanding Russia’s ‘stop list’ will continue,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement announcing the bans.
In a separate move, the Russian Prosecutor’s General Office on Monday deemed the London-based Calvert 22 Foundation as an “undesirable” organization, state-run Interfax reported.
The Prosecutor’s Office said Calvert 22 — which promoted Russian arts and culture, particularly through its Calvert Journal publication — "pose[s] a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and the security of the Russian Federation."
The Calvert Journal suspended publication indefinitely following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Organizations branded “undesirable” are required to disband within Russia, and any Russian who cooperates with them or cites their work faces criminal prosecution.
Russia has added a total of 216 British nationals, including outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to its so-called ‘stop list’ of individuals barred entry into the country.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
