Russia announced on Friday that it had barred 500 Americans, including former President Barack Obama, from entering the country in reaction to US sanctions.

"As a reaction to the anti-Russian measures regularly implemented by the Biden government... entry into the Russian Federation is closed for 500 Americans," the Ministry of foreign affairs said, adding that Obama was on the list.

On Friday, the United States added hundreds of new firms and persons to its sanctions blocklist, broadening its efforts to choke off Russia's economy in response to the Ukraine conflict.

"With Washington should have learnt a long time ago that no hostile step against Russia will go unpunished," claimed the foreign Ministry.


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Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers were among those named.

Erin Burnett of CNN, Rachel Maddow, and Joe Scarborough of MSNBC were also present.

Russia said it has blocked senators, congressmen, and think tank members "engaged in the spread of Russophobic attitudes and fakes," and the leaders of corporations that "supply weapons to Ukraine."

Russia rejected a consular visit to jailed US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested in March on suspicion of spying.

The refusal was precipitated by Washington's reluctance to give visas to journalists accompanying Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the United Nations in April.