TheCable

Russia, on Wednesday, banned 287 British members of house of commons from entering its country.

Russia’s ministry of foreign affairs said the sanctions were in response to Britain imposing similar restrictions on 386 members of its own lower house of parliament.

The country also accused the British government of fuelling “unwarranted Russophobic hysteria”.

“In response to the decision taken by the British government on March 11 to add 386 State Duma deputies to a sanctions list, in a reciprocal move, personal restrictions are being placed on 287 members of the House of Commons,” the ministry said.

In March, the UK government imposed sanctions on 386 of Russian parliamentarians over the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The sanction was imposed on those that voted to recognise Luhansk and Donetsk regions — two breakaway terrorities of eastern Ukraine — as independent regions.

The UK said their recognition of Luhansk and Donetsk gave Russia a “pretext” for its  invasion of Ukraine.

Early in the month, Russia banned Boris Johnson, UK prime minister, and some members of the British cabinet from entering the country.

The Russian foreign ministry had said the decision was taken owing to the “unprecedented hostile actions of the British government” against Russia in wake of the war in Ukraine.