Russia Imposes Entry Ban on 39 Australians over Ukraine Sanctions

Russia banned, on Thursday, 39 Australian citizens, including those working in the security and defence sectors, from entering the country.

The announcement comes in line with Canberra's sanctions against Moscow over its offensive in Ukraine.

"In response to the decision of officials in Canberra to impose sanctions... Russia is adding 39 more people to the list" of those banned from entering its territory, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

They include "representatives of law enforcement agencies, border guards, as well as defence contractors," it added in a statement. The list also had deputy home affairs secretary Marc Ablong, and police chiefs from several Australian regions.

In June, Moscow expanded the list of Australian citizens subject to personal sanctions, adding another 121 nationals to the list.

“These people are indefinitely prohibited from entering the Russian Federation,” the statement read, adding that the list includes Deputy Ministers of Defense and Air Force and Navy commanders.

“Given that the official Canberra does not intend to abandon its anti-Russian course and continues to multiply sanctions measures, work on updating the Russian stop-list will go on,” the ministry noted.

Earlier this month, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed that his country will block imports of Russian gold and impose sanctions against 16 more Russian nationals.

Albanese indicated that the new sanctions will cover ministers and businessmen, which will increase the blacklist of Russian nationals to 843 names.