Holders of diplomatic passports, members of official delegations, and journalists from “unfriendly countries” were denied visa-free entry to Russia on Monday.
The relevant decree on retaliatory visa measures was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, amending visa agreements with the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Denmark.
The Russian government released a list of countries on March 7 that were “taking unfriendly actions against Russia, Russian companies, and Russian citizens,” referring to the economic sanctions imposed during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The list includes Albania, Andorra, Australia, the United Kingdom and its territories of Jersey, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, and Gibraltar, EU member states, Iceland, Canada, Liechtenstein, Micronesia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, San Marino, North Macedonia, Singapore, the United States, Taiwan, Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, and Japan, according to the decree published on the government’s website.
The war between Russia and Ukraine, which began on February 24, has sparked international outrage, with the EU, the United States, and the United Kingdom, among others, imposing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.
According to UN estimates, at least 1,417 civilians have been killed and 2,038 have been injured in Ukraine, with the true figure expected to be much higher.
More than 4.2 million Ukrainians have also fled to neighboring countries, with millions more displaced inside the country, according to the UN refugee agency.