Russia hits back by sanctioning Zuckerberg, American journalists

Russia announced a slew of sanctions on Thursday against American social media executives and prominent journalists as part of a series of retaliatory measures against U.S. sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"29 Americans are included in the 'stop list' from among the top leaders, businessmen, experts and journalists who form the Russophobic agenda, as well as the spouse of a number of high-ranking officials," the ministry announced, a Google translation.

Among those hit by the sanctions, and consequently barred from entering Russia, were Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, and Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, according to an announcement from the Russian Foreign Ministry. Many western social media companies, including Zuckerberg's Facebook, are presently banned in Russia.

The ministry sanctioned a total of 29 Americans and included high ranking figures in Washington, among them Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff. Also making the list were White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, and Pentagon press secretary John Kirby.

Prominent journalists such as ABC's George Stephanopoulos and CNN's Bianna Golodryga also were barred from entering Russia.

The New York Post noted that while several major western social media outlets saw their executives sanctioned, both Twitter and Google avoided receiving any sanctions on its personnel despite their own feuds with the Kremlin.