Russia ‘blacklists’ 398 members of US Congress in reciprocal move

Country also sanctions 87 Canadian senators, expels Czech diplomat, says Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW:

Russia on Wednesday blacklisted 398 members of the US Congress, the country’s Foreign Ministry said.

"On the principle of reciprocity, all members of the US Congress are put on the black list," a ministry statement said.

The statement noted that the US sanctioned almost the entire lower chamber of the Russian parliament, the State Duma.

In a separate statement, the Foreign Ministry said that it has also introduced sanctions against 87 Canadian senators.

The sanctions against the Canadian senators are imposed "in response to the hostile steps taken by Ottawa," the ministry added.

It said that Moscow plans more countermeasures against the US and Canada in the near future, suggesting an expansion of the number of persons included in the "stop list" and other retaliatory steps.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry has also expelled a senior diplomat at the Czech Republic’s Embassy in Moscow.

The diplomat has been asked to leave the country by April 16.