MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday announced the Russian authorities' decision to ban the entry into Russia to 77 United States citizens, a significant number of whom are governors and secretaries of U.S. states.
"In response to Washington's continued expansion of the list of Russian citizens against whom individual sanctions are being imposed, the entry into the Russian Federation is permanently banned for 77 Americans," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Those U.S. citizens who head the authorities in the states, a number of federal agencies, as well as companies involved in the supply of weapons to Kiev were added to the stop list this time based on the principle of reciprocity, it said.
"The sanctions affected not only politicians and officials involved in shaping and implementing the anti-Russian policy, but also some members of their families," the statement said.
"Any hostile actions against Russia, including the unwinding of the sanctions spiral, will be rebuffed and will hit the U.S. itself with a boomerang," it said.