The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia announced on Monday the introduction of sanctions against 25 American officials and “cultural figures”, including famous actors Ben Stiller and Sean Penn, reports Interfax.

“In response to the ever-expanding personal sanctions against Russian citizens by the Biden administration (…) a permanent ban on entry into the Russian Federation is introduced for high-ranking officials, representatives of the business community and experts, as well as cultural personalities,” the message reads. , published on Monday on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow.

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and three of her deputies are among the officials who have come under Russian sanctions. The new list of sanctioned persons contains 25 names, while “Interfax” reminds that the total number of US citizens against whom sanctions have been imposed has reached 1,073 people.

On March 15, Russia announced that it would introduce sanctions against US President Joe Biden and several officials of his cabinet, but first distorted the name of the head of the White House.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated on Monday that the “hostile actions of the US authorities” will continue to receive a “decisive response” from Moscow.

Why is Russia imposing sanctions on Ben Stiller?

While it did not provide a separate rationale for each name on the sanctions list on Monday, it is likely that the Russian Foreign Ministry imposed sanctions against Ben Stiller because of his June visit to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Stiller visited as a goodwill ambassador for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

“You are my hero,” Ben Stiller told the Kyiv leader. “You gave up your acting career for this,” he continued, and Zelensky replied that he didn’t give up a career “as good as yours.” Before entering politics, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was known for his starring role in the most popular comedy series broadcast in Ukraine.

Ben Stiller, also known for his roles in comedies, said during the visit that “it’s hard to understand what’s going on here unless you’ve been here.” Before visiting Kyiv, the American actor was in Irpin, where the Russian military committed several pogroms, and in the village of Makariv.

“It’s one thing to see this destruction on TV or in social networks. It’s another thing to see everything with your own eyes,” said Ben Stiller.

Sean Penn is making a documentary about the war in Ukraine

Already on February 25, the day after the Russian invasion, it became known that another well-known Hollywood actor, Sean Penn, is in Kyiv to shoot a documentary about the “special operation” launched by Vladimir Putin.

He was pictured among those present at a government press conference in Kyiv, and was also seen during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video posted on the Ukrainian head of state’s Instagram.

“The director came to Kyiv specifically in order to record all the events taking place in Ukraine, and as a documentarian to tell the world the truth about Russia’s invasion of our country,” reads the message published on the website of the presidency.

“Today, Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine while in Ukraine. Our country is grateful to him for such a display of courage and honesty,” he added.

Penn called the invasion a “brutal and terrible mistake” and said that “if he does not back down, Mr. Putin will be making the most terrible mistake.”

In early March, Penn left Ukraine, joining a wave of Ukrainians fleeing to neighboring Poland due to the Russian invasion.

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