Joe Biden, Mark Zuckerberg, Morgan Freeman… Russian diplomacy published a list of 963 American personalities banned from entering Russia on Saturday, in retaliation for similar sanctions imposed by Washington since the start of the offensive in Ukraine on February 24. .

The document, made public by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mainly includes government officials, parliamentarians, but also members of civil society.

Morgan Freeman sanctioned for a video

Moscow had already announced these sanctions against many of the personalities on the list, in particular US President Joe Biden, his Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the head of the Pentagon Lloyd Austin, or the CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg.

The list also includes CIA director William Burns or Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman, who had not been publicly sanctioned until now. Russian diplomacy accuses him of having recorded a video in 2017 where he claimed that Russia was carrying out a "conspiracy" against the United States.

"Russian counter-sanctions are necessary"

"The Russian counter-sanctions are necessary and aim to compel the American power in place, which tries to impose on the rest of the planet a neo-colonial world order (...) to change its position and to recognize new geopolitical realities", justifies the Russian Foreign Ministry. He assures that Moscow remains open to "honest dialogue" and distinguishes the American people from authorities "inciting Russophobia".

Since the offensive in Ukraine, Russian diplomacy has deprived hundreds of Anglo-Saxon personalities of entry to Russia. On Saturday, she announced that she had taken this action against 26 additional Canadians, including Sophie Trudeau, the wife of the Canadian Prime Minister.