Digital Desk: In retaliation for similar efforts by Washington
since the offensive in Ukraine, Russia published a list of 963 prominent
Americans on Saturday, including US Vice President Joe Biden, Facebook CEO Mark
Zuckerberg, and Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman.
US government officials, and other powerful persons are among
those identified on the Russian foreign ministry's website.
Many of those on the list had previously been sanctioned by
Moscow, including Joe Biden, his Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Pentagon
Chief Lloyd Austin, and Mark Zuckerberg.
Morgan Freeman, who had not been named by Russian officials
before, is accused by Moscow of recording a video in 2017 in which he said
Russia was planning against the United States.
"The Russian counter-sanctions are necessary and aim to
force the United States, which is attempting to impose a neocolonial 'global
order' on the rest of the globe... to adjust its position and recognise new
geopolitical realities," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement
on Saturday.
It went on to say that Moscow was open to "honest
discourse" and made a distinction between US citizens and authorities
"inciting Russophobia."
Hundreds of "Anglo-Saxons" have been barred from
entering Russia since the offensive in Ukraine.
It announced on Saturday that it had also blacklisted 26 more Canadians, including Sophie Trudeau, the Prime Minister's wife.
