MOSCOW. Oct 29 (Interfax) - Russia has permanently banned 131 Australian citizens from entering the country, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
"In response to politically motivated sanctions targeting Russian individuals and legal entities imposed by the government of Australia as part of the collective West's Russophobic campaign, the entry to the Russian Federation is being banned permanently for additional 131 Australians from among representatives of the military and defense industry, journalists and public figures shaping the anti-Russian agenda in this country," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its website.
"Given that the authorities in Canberra do not plan to abandon their anti-Russian policy and continue imposing new sanctions, updating of the Russian 'stop-list' will continue," the statement said.
The stop list containing the names of the Australian citizens was published on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website.
"Additionally, nine New Zealanders from among the leadership of the Defense Ministry and the New Zealand Defense Force shaping the anti-Russian agenda in this country are banned from entering the Russian Federation permanently," the ministry said in another statement.
"Given that the authorities in Wellington do not plan to abandon their anti-Russian policy and continue imposing new sanctions, updating of the Russian 'stop-list' will continue," the statement said.
The list of the names of the citizens of New Zealand banned from entering Russia was also published on the ministry's website.