Russia has banned five British nationals from entering the country, including two prominent journalists, in what Moscow described as a response to Britain's anti-Russian policies and support
for Ukraine.
In a statement published late Tuesday, Russia's Foreign Ministry announced travel restrictions against investigative journalist Catherine Belton of The Washington Post and security correspondent Richard Holmes of The i Paper.
Belton is widely known for her reporting on Russia and has previously worked for several international media organizations, including the Financial Times and Reuters. Holmes, an award-winning investigative reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist, covers security and defense issues for the British newspaper.
The ministry said the move was a reaction to what it called the "provocative anti-Russian rhetoric" of British officials, as well as allegations about Russia promoted in the UK and London's continued military assistance to Ukraine.
Three other British nationals were also added to the entry ban list: Alexander Browder, a contributor to the Henry Jackson Society think tank; Alice Laugher, chief executive of humanitarian staffing company Committed to Good; and Richard Westbury, chairman of the Chelsea Group, the parent company of Committed to Good.
Relations between Moscow and London have deteriorated sharply in recent years. The United Kingdom joined Western allies in imposing sanctions on Russia following its annexation of Crimea in 2014, and significantly expanded those measures after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russia has responded with a series of retaliatory sanctions, including travel bans targeting politicians, business figures, and media representatives from countries supporting Ukraine. Photo by Shakko, Wikimedia commons.
