Russia: Sanctions against 49 journalists and executives in Britain’s defense industry

Russia announced today that it is imposing sanctions on dozens of British journalists and defense officials, barring them from entering the country.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, these sanctions are a “response” to the Western sanctions and pressure on the Russian state media and concern 49 British citizens, 29 of whom are journalists or executives of British news organizations.

Among the journalists are many who work for the BBC, The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Independent and Times and Sky News. “They are no longer allowed to enter the Russian Federation,” the Russian foreign minister said, accusing them of “spreading false and one-sided information” about Russia and “the events in Ukraine and Donbas.”

The list includes well-known journalists, presenters, editors and editors-in-chief of newspapers. Among them are Paul Adams and Nick Robinson, well-known BBC journalists, Guardian editor-in-chief Katherine Weiner, the same newspaper journalist Sean Walker, Financial Times chronicler Gideon Ratzman and Sophie Ridge, Sky News political show.

“Their biased assessments also contribute to inciting Russophobia in British society,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The other 20 Britons sanctioned are linked to the defense industry and are therefore responsible for supplying Ukraine with Western weapons. These include Royal Navy Chief Admiral Benjamin Kay, Undersecretary of Defense Jeremy Quinn and executives from BAE Systems and Thales UK.

“It’s sad, but not unexpected,” said Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert whose name is on the list.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ