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The Kremlin has put United States President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a dozen top US officials on a new 'stop list' that bans them from entering Russia.
Several key US officials have been added to the list as well, such as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA chief William Burns and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
Former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was also added to the list.
The entry ban is Russia's latest response to a raft of new sanctions imposed by America on Russians.
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On March 11, the US President signed multiple executive orders banning the export, sales and supplies of banknotes from the US to Russia.
On that same day, Biden also banned the import of Russian goods - specifically vodka, seafood, diamonds, and oil and gas, the White House said in the statement released on Friday.
“Putin is the aggressor and Putin must pay a price,” Biden said from the White House.
He also announced that the US and the European Union would revoke Russia’s trade privileges.
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"It will be another crushing blow to the Russian economy,” he said. “It’s already suffering very badly from our sanctions.”
To hit back against this move, Russia has imposed some sanctions of its own.
Russia's Foreign Ministry added Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the list of sanctioned individuals and accused officials in Ottawa for trying to compete 'with Washington in Russophobic rage'.
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The measures appeared to be mainly symbolic, as the Russian Foreign Ministry stated the Kremlin will not 'refuse to maintain official relations if they meet our national interests, and, if necessary, we will solve problems arising from the status of persons who appear on the “black list” in order to organise high-level contacts'.
These are the latest sanctions imposed by Russia after the Kremlin added the US, UK, Canada and Australia to a list of countries they deem 'unfriendly'.
According to Russian news agency Tass, countries deemed 'unfriendly' to the Kremlin are those who have imposed sanctions on Russia or degenerated their 'special military operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine'.
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Russian's war against neighbouring Ukraine has entered its third week.
Thousands of people have been killed, more than two million have been made refugees, and those who stayed behind are hiding in besieged cities that are under relentless bombardment.
Overall, Russia has lost about 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers, they said. Ukraine says its forces have killed more than 12,000 Russian troops.
Russia has confirmed about 500 losses.
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If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information.
Featured Image Credit: Abaca Press/AlamyTopics: News, US News, Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden
