Russia Imposes Entry Ban On 287 UK MPs, PM Johnson: Badge Of Honour

Illustration of the British Parliament. (Wikimedia Commons/UK government)

JAKARTA - Russia has announced it will impose individual restrictions on 287 members of the British House of Commons, in retaliation for punitive measures imposed by Britain against members of the State Duma, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

"In response to the decision taken by the British government on 11 March 2022 to sanction 386 members of the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly. Personal restrictions were imposed on 287 members of the British House of Commons," the statement said. The list also includes Sir Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of Britain's lower house of parliament.

"The above-mentioned persons now barred from entering the Russian Federation have played an active role in approving London's instrument of anti-Russian sanctions, and have contributed to baseless efforts to inflame Russophobia hysteria in the UK," the ministry added.

"In light of London's stakes in increasing anti-Russian sanctions, efforts to contain and expand Russia's stop list will continue," the statement continued.

The list of 287 names includes current and former ministers as well as several people who are no longer serving as members of parliament. A former MP, Dominic Grieve, appeared twice.

"All 287 people should consider it a badge of honour," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who himself was banned from Russia on April 16, told parliament.

The Kremlin had previously singled out PM Johnson as "the most active participant in the race to become anti-Russian". This week, Russia warned Britain of a "proportionate response" if it continued to provoke Ukraine to strike targets in Russia.