MOSCOW: Russia said on Friday (Jun 23) it was barring entry to more European officials in response to the EU's decision to slap new sanctions on Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine.
"In response to these unfriendly actions, the Russian side has significantly expanded the list of representatives of European institutions and EU member states who ... are prohibited from entering the territory of our state," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
It did not specify the number of officials that were being sanctioned or give their names.
The European Union this week agreed an 11th package of penalties against Russia over its large-scale military offensive in Ukraine, including measures aimed at clamping down on evasion of restrictions already in place.
"We confirm that any unfriendly actions taken by Western countries will continue to receive a timely and adequate response," Russia's foreign ministry added.