Russia blocks Biden Cabinet officials in retaliation for sanctions

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday announced that eight top U.S. intelligence officials, including several members of President Biden’s Cabinet, were banned from entering Russia in retaliation for recent U.S. sanctions levied on the nation.

Those banned from entry include Cabinet members Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Other Biden administration officials barred beginning Friday were FBI Director Christopher Wray, Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice and Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal. Former CIA Director R. James Woolsey, who served during the Clinton administration, and John Bolton, former President Trump’s national security adviser, were also barred from entering Russia.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in announcing the action that the officials were barred in response to the Biden administration’s sanctions levied last month as a result of the Russian poisoning and imprisonment of opposition leader Alexey Navalny.

The move to ban the current and former officials also comes the day after Biden signed an executive order levying further sanctions on Russia for its involvement in the SolarWinds hack, which compromised at least nine federal agencies, and for interfering in U.S. elections.