Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (Photo : Reuters/Dmitry Astakhov)
Russia released a list of 89 European politicians and military leaders banned from entering the country on May 26. Upon learning the travel blacklist, European Union was quick to condemn it calling it unjustified.
Among those who are in the list published in YLE are United Kingdom's former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and former defence secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind, as well as eight Swedes including Swedish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Anna Maria Corazza Bildt.
The Russian foreign ministry reportedly compiled the list handed it to an EU delegation in Moscow. The move has infuriated Europe and exacerbated its standoff with the West over the role of Moscow in the Ukraine conflict.
In recent months, Russia had denied entry to several EU politicians, according to a spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs. In a statement obtained by Reuters, the spokeswoman said they consider this measure as "totally arbitrary and unjustified, especially in the absence of any further clarification and transparency."
In March 2014, Russia annexed Crimea and since then, the EU has enforced visa bans, asset freezes and economic sanctions on scores of Russian and Ukrainian organizations and citizens.
According to a spokeswoman for Britain's Foreign Office, the travel ban has no justification noting that this is not the way to do it if the intention of Russia is to put pressure on the EU to ease sanctions then.
Also in the list of outspoken critics of Russia and European military and intelligence officials are Solvita Aboltina, Thomas Arenkiel, Lena Adelsohn-Liljeroth, Petras Austrevicius, Johannes Cornelis Van Baalen, Bogdan Borusewicz and Jerzy Buzek, among others.
