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Russia banned 21 British lawmakers from entering the country on Wednesday, citing the United Kingdom's "confrontational" stance toward Moscow.
"The comprehensive nature of the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom and the hysterical statements of British officials show that London has no intention of abandoning its choice in favor of an open confrontation with Russia," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The list includes six members of the House of Lords and 15 members of Parliament from various parties, including the ruling Labour Party, the centrist Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party and the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland.
According to the ministry, the targeted deputies had made "hostile statements and unfounded accusations" against Moscow.
“To be targeted by this criminal and thuggish regime is a compliment,” Labour MP Blair McDougall, among those sanctioned, told POLITICO.
"This is among the reasons I have been harsh with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it shows how fragile and pathetic his regime is. This will not stop British MPs from speaking on behalf of the people of Ukraine," he said.
Labour MP Phil Brickell said Putin "has another thing coming" if he thinks the ban will silence him.
Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Helen Maguire, also on the list, said she would "treat this retaliatory sanction as a badge of honour", adding that "this knee-jerk reaction to our pressure on Russia shows we are under Putin's skin".
The travel ban was announced on the same day that London hosted peace talks on Ukraine, attended by US and European officials, as well as senior Ukrainian representatives, including President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
In its statement, the Russian Ministry accused the UK of "demonizing" Russia and "actively fabricating anti-Russian narratives" to undermine Moscow's global position.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, London has remained one of Kiev's staunchest allies, with the UK Treasury freezing over £25 billion in Russian assets and sanctioning more than 2,000 individuals and entities linked to the Kremlin.
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