Russia announces sanctions against Sean Penn and Ben Stiller

Russia announced today that it is banning 25 Americans from entering its territory, including actor/director Sean Penn and actor Ben Stiller.

Sean Penn had visited Kyiv in late June to express his support. Ben Stiller had also been to the Ukrainian capital at the same time, and had said to Zelensky: "You are my hero."

Penn was in Ukraine filming a documentary when Russia invaded there on February 24. He was forced to flee on foot, along with the millions of Ukrainians who crossed the border into Poland during the first days of the war.

"The hostile actions of the US authorities, which continue to take a Russophobic direction, thus damaging bilateral relations and intensifying the confrontation between Russia and the US, will be strongly repelled," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement it issued.

In late June, Moscow announced it was banning Biden's wife and daughter from entering Russia because Washington imposed sanctions on the family of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Sanctions have also been imposed on Biden himself.

Source: APE-MPE, AFP, Reuters