Russia’s Foreign Ministry is sanctioning 398 of the 435 members of the United States House of Representatives.
The Kremlin’s latest measure comes after it criticized U.S. President Joe Biden’s comments calling Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine a ‘genocide’ as ‘unacceptable.
We categorically disagree and consider unacceptable any attempt to distort the situation in this way,’ Putin’s spokesman spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on a conference call with reporters, according to Reuters.
He went on, ‘It is hardly acceptable for the president of the United States, a country that has committed well-known deeds in modern and recent history.’
Wednesday’s sanctions announcement is directly in retaliation for the Biden administration placing sanctions on 328 members of Russia’s Putin-influenced parliament known as the Duma.
The 398 U.S. lawmakers are members of the House of Representatives specifically, including the lower chamber’s leadership and committee chairs.
Republican Reps. Madison Cawthorn and Marjorie Taylor Greene, among a vocal minority in Congress who criticized Ukraine with points that seem eerily similar to the Kremlin’s, are also included on the ‘stop list.’
A list of 398 sanctioned lawmakers was posted to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website with a statement that committee chairs and House leadership are also included.
Texas GOP Rep. Michael McCaul and Kentucky Republican Rep. Andy Barr are among those who are not committee chairs nor House leadership named on the list, though McCaul could be considered under sanctions as the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs committee.
‘Along with other American legislators who were previously banned from entering Russia (like, for example, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi) all U.S. congressmen are ‘listed’ on a reciprocity basis,’ the statement reported by TASS News Agency read.
Democrat Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania joked on Twitter, ‘Well there goes my Spring Break plans!’
‘Oh no! Lol,’ Colorado Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn wrote on the platform. His fellow GOP lawmaker, Rep. John Curtis of Utah, said it was ‘an honor to be on this list.’
