Russia has extended restrictions against Great Britain in response to London sanctions in the case of Alexei Navalny a >. This was reported on site Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia .
According to the statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry informed the British Ambassador, Deborah Bronnert, about Moscow’s expansion of the list of British nationals who are prohibited from entering the Russian Federation. “It includes those who are involved in escalating anti-Russian sanctions activity,” the department specified.
The new restrictions are a response to London’s sanctions against Russian citizens who are accused of involvement in the Navalny incident. The department stressed that they consider the British sanctions unacceptable and unjustified, and the actions of the British authorities – unconstructive and unfriendly.
Alexei Navalny’s health deteriorated sharply during the flight from Tomsk to Moscow on August 20, the plane made an emergency landing in Omsk. On August 22, the oppositionist was taken to a Berlin clinic, whose specialists announced the discovery of traces of a substance from the Novichok group in the Russian’s body. Russian doctors, who also conducted research, found no poisons. After his recovery, Navalny announced the involvement of the Russian leadership in his poisoning.
October 15 European Union imposed sanctions against six Russians and one scientific institute because of the situation with Navalny. In particular, the director of FSB Alexander Bortnikov , Head of the Russian President’s Internal Policy Department Andrey Yarin and others. Following the EU, the UK imposed restrictions. Last week, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that in response to the sanctions it will expand the list of country representatives – EU members who are prohibited from entering the country.
December 29 Kommersant newspaper reported , citing sources in the Foreign Ministry, that Moscow will ban the entry of six British officials associated with the military-chemical program and military laboratory at Porton Down. Among them are two deputy ministers, the head of the secret service and the leadership of the scientific and technical laboratory of the British Armed Forces.