Russia bans Nicola Sturgeon from country over Ukraine war

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss have also been barred

Author: Sophie AdamsPublished 16th Apr 2022
Last updated 17th Apr 2022

Nicola Sturgeon has been banned from Russia over the UK's "hostile" stance on the war in Ukraine.

The First Minister was issued with the ban along with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and 11 other senior UK Government members.

In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry claimed that British leaders had been “aggravating” the conflict by providing Ukraine with weapons.

Ms Sturgeon said Scotland stands with Ukraine and will take the "strongest possible action to isolate and penalise" the Russian president's regime.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss are among those who have been banned.

US President Joe Biden was issued with a similar ban by Moscow last month.

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The full list announced by Russia is:

  • Prime Minister Boris Johnson
  • Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
  • Foreign Secretary Liz Truss
  • Chancellor Rishi Sunak
  • Home Secretary Priti Patel
  • Defence Secretary Ben Wallace
  • Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab
  • Transport Secretary Grant Shapps
  • Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng
  • Culture Minister Nadine Dorries
  • Armed Forces Minister James Heappey
  • Attorney General Suella Braverman
  • Former Prime Minister Theresa May

In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said: “London’s unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia internationally, creating conditions for containing our country and strangling the domestic economy” were responsible for the decision.

It added: “In essence, the British leadership is deliberately aggravating the situation around Ukraine, pumping the Kyiv regime with lethal weapons and coordinating similar efforts on the part of Nato.”

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