Russia Imposes Sanctions on British MPs Over Criticism of Moscow
Russia has imposed travel bans on several British Members of Parliament in response to their outspoken criticism of the Kremlin, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry. The targeted MPs, the ministry claimed, had made “hostile statements and unfounded accusations” against Moscow.
Labour MP Blair McDougall, one of those sanctioned, dismissed the move as a badge of honor. “Being targeted by this thuggish, criminal regime is a compliment,” McDougall told POLITICO. “That among the reasons is that I have been rude to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin shows how brittle and pathetic his regime is. This won’t stop British MPs from speaking up for the people of Ukraine.”
Fellow Labour MP Phil Brickell echoed McDougall’s defiance. “If Putin thinks this sanction will silence us, he has another thing coming,” he said.
Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Helen Maguire, who was also included on the list, described the travel ban as “a badge of honor.” She added, “This knee-jerk reaction to our pressure on Russia shows we’ve clearly got under Putin’s skin.”
Russia’s announcement came on the same day peace talks on Ukraine were being held in London. Those discussions were attended by U.S. and EU diplomats as well as top Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the United Kingdom of attempting to “demonize” Russia and of “actively fabricating anti-Russian narratives” in an effort to damage its international reputation.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.K. has been a staunch supporter of Kyiv. As part of its measures against Russia, the British government has frozen more than £25 billion in Russian assets and placed sanctions on more than 2,000 individuals and organizations connected to the Kremlin.
— Matt Honeycombe-Foster contributed reporting.
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