Russia imposed personal sanctions yesterday on 25 Americans, including actors Sean Penn and Ben Stiller, in response to U.S. sanctions against Russians stemming from the conflict in Ukraine.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was on the new sanctions list, as were several American senators: Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Rick Scott of Florida, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the group, which also included business leaders, academics and government officials, would be banned permanently from entering Russia.
Previous rounds of Russian sanctions against Americans have included President Joe Biden and members of his family, as well as lawmakers and business leaders. The U.S. has sanctioned numerous Russians, including government officials and business people.
Penn and Stiller have been outspoken critics of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Penn is an activist involved in relief work, among other causes. Stiller is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
