The Russian government has banned former President Barack Obama and 500 other United States citizens from entering the country. The Foreign Ministry said on Friday the ban was in response to the latest round of sanctions announced by Washington.

“Washington should have learned a long time ago that not a single hostile attack on Russia will go unpunished,” it noted.

The U.S. had last month refused to give visas to media travelling with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the United Nations. Earlier on Friday, America announced punitive measures against over 300 targets to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia has confirmed refusing the latest U.S. request for consular access to detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Detained by the Federal Security Service on charges of espionage in March 2023, Evan Gershkovich is the first American journalist accused of spying since the Cold War.