Moscow has banned several U.S. officials from entering Russia in retaliation for a U.S. blacklist of Russians connected to the prison death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, “Kommersant” newspaper reports, quoting a top Foreign Ministry official.
Magnitsky was arrested in 2008 after accusing police of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars.
Moscow says the American officials on its list violated the rights of Russian citizens, including arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is awaiting trial in a U.S. court.
“Kommersant” quoted concurring sources as saying Russia’s tit-for-tat list, containing “several dozen Americans,” was already ready even though their names would never be disclosed publicly.
The news is the latest sign the “reset” in diplomatic ties between the two countries has deteriorated.
compiled from agency reports