MOSCOW — Russia on Thursday imposed entry bans on nine U.S. lawmakers and officials in response to Washington’s sanctions over Crimea, the first retaliatory strike by Moscow.
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday released the list that includes House Speaker House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio and Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
It also names Ben Rhodes, a deputy U.S. national security adviser along with other White House advisers, Caroline Atkinson and Dan Pfeiffer, along with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. and Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., Mary Landrieu, D-La. and Dan Coats, R-Ind.
The Russian Foreign Ministry misspelled Reid’s name as Reed.
And much like Sen. Dick Durbin, Boehner and others on the banned list are proud to be on Vladimir Putin’s list of enemies.
Proud to be included on a list of those willing to stand against Putin’s aggression http://t.co/AL67mauKqq
— John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) March 20, 2014
President Putin, it's one thing to pick on me, but I wouldn't mess with Mary. @SenLandrieu #SanctionedByPutin
— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) March 20, 2014
If standing up for #democracy & sovereignty in #Ukraine means I'm #SanctionedByPutin, I'll take it.
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) March 20, 2014
One person is disappointed they didn’t make the list:
The move came minutes after President Barack Obama introduced a new round of U.S. sanctions.
“There should be no doubt, we will respond in kind to any hostile action,” the Foreign Ministry said. “We have warned repeatedly that the use of sanctions is a double-edged sword that will boomerang against the United States.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS
