Russia Bans 21 British Lawmakers Amid Tensions with UK
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday added 21 British parliamentarians to its list of UK nationals banned from entering the country, reflecting the dire state of relations with London.
Moscow maintains extensive lists of foreign officials, business figures, journalists and others who are barred from entering Russian territory, mostly from countries officially designated as "unfriendly".
In a statement, Russia's Foreign Ministry said that the designated lawmakers had made "hostile statements and unfounded accusations" against Moscow.
They include six members of the House of Lords, along with 15 members of parliament from the governing Labour Party, the centrist Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party.
Britain joined other Western countries in applying harsh economic sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. It remains one of Ukraine's strongest backers.
Russia has in recent months increasingly focused its ire on London, as ties with the U.S. have improved since President Donald Trump returned to office in January.
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
