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British lawmakers carried sanctions as a “badge of honor” on Wednesday after Moscow banned nearly 300 from entering Russia in retaliation for the UK’s response to the Ukrainian invasion.
Russia’s foreign ministry has said it is taking action against 287 members of the House of Commons in response to sanctions against Russian politicians, although there are many former lawmakers on its list.
A statement accused conservatives and Labor of “breaking Russophobic hysteria”.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s department announced the move in response to the United Kingdom’s sanction last month of 386 members of the Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament.
Boris Johnson said lawmakers “should see this as a sign of honor” and many politicians welcomed their inclusion on the list.
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Former Tory chief whip Mark Harper said he was “proud” to be involved, former Secretary of State Andrew Murrison said he was “satisfied” while former Brexit secretary David Davis joked “how am I going to do it?”
The sanctions list also includes Ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg, Amanda Milling and Penny Mordaunt, as well as Mayor Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
But the alleged list of “members of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons” seems rather outdated.
Charlie Elfik, who was expelled from the party and jailed after being found guilty of three counts of sexual assault, was also included.
So were Sir Oliver Letwin, Dominic Grave and Justin Greening – all of whom had been stripped of their Brexit riots and were no longer MPs after the 2019 election.
Speaking during the Prime Minister’s questions, Mr Johnson said: “I don’t think there is any disrespect for those who have not been sanctioned when I say that all these 287 should see it as a sign of honor.
“And what we will do is continue our strong and principled support for the Ukrainian people and their right to protect their lives, their families and to defend themselves.
“This is what this country is doing, and I think it has the tremendous support of the whole House.
A translation of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement said the sanctions were being applied “on the basis of reciprocity”.
It added: “Those who are no longer allowed to enter the Russian Federation have taken the most active part in creating anti-Russian sanctions in London and are contributing to the unfounded fanfare of Russophobic hysteria in the United Kingdom.
The hostile rhetoric and exaggerated accusations coming from British parliamentarians not only endorse London’s hostile course of demonizing our country and its international isolation, but are also being used by opponents of a mutually respectful dialogue with Russia to undermine the basis of bilateral cooperation “.
Foreign Minister Liz Truss announced sanctions against the Duma on March 11.
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