Russia Imposes Travel Ban On US VP Kamala Harris, Facebook's Zuckerberg, 27 Others Amid Ukraine Invasion

The development comes hour after the US President Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million military aid package for Ukraine to defend itself from Russia's military advance.

US Vice President Kamala Harris (L), Facebook Chief Mark Zuckerberg (L). [File Photos/ Getty]

Moscow: In the aftermaths of sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia ever since the latter invaded Ukraine, Moscow on Thursday imposed a travel ban on as many as 29 Amercian, including Vice-President Kamala Harris, Facebook chief Mark and others, news agency AFP reported.

The development comes hour after the US President Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million military aid package for Ukraine to defend itself from Russia's military advance. While making the announcement, Biden even  said that it was 'questionable' if Russians control the Ukrainian city of Mariupol - a claim Moscow made in the day.

Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that the country's forces have fully captured Ukraine's key Black Sea port-city of Mariupol. More than 1,400 militants have laid down their arms, Shoigu said, adding that over 142,000 civilians have also been evacuated from the city that has been under siege for weeks.

Russia has even imposed personal sanctions against 398 members of the US House of Representatives and 87 Canadian senators in a retaliatory move in response to a "wave of anti-Russian sanctions" imposed by the US administration in the past. 

Earlier this month, the US imposed additional sanctions on Russia for its military operation in Ukraine, targeting the country's major financial institutions and the two daughters of Russian President. According to reports, US imposed full blocking sanctions on Russia's largest financial institution, Sberbank, and the country's largest private bank, Alfa Bank, freezing any of the two banks' assets in the US financial system and prohibiting Americans from doing business with them.

Full blocking sanctions were also imposed on Putin's two adult daughters, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's wife and daughter, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as well as former Russia President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. 

Meanwhile, even the European Union currently preparing a sixth package of sanctions against Russia as Moscow's war against Kyiv has entered its 56th day on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed the sanctions with President of the European Council Charles Michel during their meeting in Kiev earlier on Wednesday.

(With inputs from IANS.)