Moscow Retaliates Against EU’s Latest Sanctions with Expanded Travel Ban

Moscow has expanded its list of European Union officials banned from entering Russia in response to the EU’s 19th package of sanctions, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement.

"The European Union continues to ramp up its unilateral sanctions against our country, which are illegal from the perspective of international law and undermine the prerogatives of the UN Security Council. Another package of sanctions, the 19th one, was approved at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on October 23," the statement said, The Caspian Post reports, citing TASS.

According to the ministry, in response to these "unfriendly actions," Russia has "significantly expanded its list of officials from EU institutions, EU member states, and some European countries that follow Brussels' anti-Russian policy," who are now banned from entering Russia under Federal Law 114-FZ “On the Procedure of Exiting and Entering the Russian Federation” dated August 15, 1996.

The updated blacklist includes security officials, government employees, and representatives of commercial companies from EU countries and other Western states allegedly responsible for supplying military aid to Kyiv, delivering drug-use products, and engaging in activities aimed at undermining Russia’s territorial integrity and obstructing the movement of Russian vessels and cargo.

Also included are government officials accused of persecuting Russian citizens over alleged "illegal arrests and removals" from Ukrainian territories, those advocating the creation of a tribunal against Russia’s leadership, and figures calling for the seizure of Russian state assets or their use for Ukraine’s benefit.

The entry ban additionally targets civil activists, academics, and lawmakers from the European Parliament and EU member states known for their "Russophobic rhetoric" or support for anti-Russian resolutions and legislation.

The ministry emphasized that the EU’s "hostile actions" will not affect Russia’s policy direction. "Russia will continue to pursue a policy aimed at defending national interests, protecting the rights and freedoms of its citizens, and promoting the emerging multipolar world order," the statement concluded.