Moscow, July 21 (UNI/Sputnik) Moscow banned 39 Australian citizens from entering Russia on the basis of reciprocity, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"In response to the earlier decision of official Canberra to impose sanctions under the Australian analogue of the Magnitsky Act, the Russian Federation, on the basis of reciprocity, adds another 39 persons from among representatives of law enforcement agencies, the border service, as well as contractors of Australian defense industry, to the national 'stop list,'" the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry also noted that in a situation where the Australian authorities continued to whip up Russophobic sentiments and pursued a policy of expanding sanctions, Moscow reserves "the right to further retaliatory measures."