DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and DC Councilmember Mary Cheh are among the high profile figures who were barred from traveling to Russia as part of the country’s recently released “enemy list” which includes President Joe Biden, as well as other politicians and actors.
The list was issued by Russian leader Vladimir Putin‘s government on Saturday, May 21, in response to sanctions the United States slapped on the Moscow regime after its invasion of Ukraine.
A total of 963 American citizens named on the list include Vice President Kamala Harris, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft President Brad Smith, actor Morgan Freeman, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Hillary Clinton, and more.
I was honored to learn that I, along with certain members of Congress and executive branch officials, have have made Vladimir Putin’s “enemy list” and have been banned from entering Russia. (1/4)
— Mary M. Cheh (@marycheh) May 22, 2022
DC Congresswoman Norton has not made a statement yet regarding her inclusion, while Councilmember Cheh posted a series of tweets, saying she was “honored” to learn that she is part of “Vladimir Putin’s ‘enemy list’.”
“No reason was given but I assume it is for naming a portion of Wisconsin Avenue across from the Russian embassy after Boris Nemtsov. Boris Nemtsov was a democratic reformer and critic of the Putin regime, and they killed him,” Cheh continued.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Kathryn Leigh Rakoczy has also been named on Russia’s ban list.
Other prominent names who have been sanctioned include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Ted Cruz, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rep. Ilhan Omar.
“We emphasize that the hostile actions taken by Washington, which boomerang against the United States itself, will continue to receive a proper rebuff,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Russian counter-sanctions are forced and aimed at forcing the ruling American regime, which is trying to impose a neo-colonial ‘rules-based world order’ on the rest of the world, to change its behavior, recognizing new geopolitical realities.”
“Russia does not seek confrontation and is open to honest, mutually respectful dialogue, separating the American people, who are always respected by us, from the US authorities, who incite Russophobia, and those who serve them. It is these people who are included in the Russian ‘black list’,” added the statement.
Russian Foreign Ministry’s full list can be viewed here.