“It was decided to include on the Russian ‘stop list’ some British politicians, businessmen and journalists who contribute to London’s hostile course aimed at demonizing our country and isolating it internationally,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. statement posted on its website on Monday. “Given London’s disastrous attempt to spin the sanctions flywheel under far-fetched and absurd pretexts, work on expanding the Russian stop list will continue,” the ministry added. Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nundy are also on the list. Among the journalists banned are the Guardian’s defense and security editor, Dan Shubag, as well as British journalists working for the BBC, the Sunday Times, the Economist, the Daily Telegraph and Sky News. Moscow banned dozens of British journalists, media executives and defense officials from entering the country in June, the Foreign Office said in response to Western sanctions and the “spreading of false information about Russia”. In total, more than 200 Britons, including most of the country’s top politicians, have been banned from entering the country. Russia has launched an unprecedented crackdown on Russian and foreign independent news outlets since its February 24 invasion of Ukraine, as well as foreign social media networks. The legislation was enacted soon after the war began to criminalize media outlets that spread “false information” about the Russian military. Russia has already barred entry to dozens of American and Canadian officials and journalists. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST As a result, some media groups have stopped operating in Russia, with the far-reaching law actually threatening to punish independent journalism with prison terms of up to 15 years. Russia has also blocked access to many websites of foreign news organizations, including the BBC and Deutsche Welle. In a separate move, Russia’s Justice Ministry on Monday designated the British-based cultural foundation Calvert 22 as an “undesirable organization,” effectively criminalizing its operation in Russia. “Its activity was found to be a threat to the foundations of the constitutional order and security of the Russian Federation,” it said in a statement. Calvert 22 was founded in London in 2009 by Russian-born economist Nonna Materkova and focuses on arts and culture in Russia and Eastern Europe.
