Guess Who Can Never Go to Russia?

Country permanently bans Sean Penn, Ben Stiller, among others
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 6, 2022 2:30 AM CDT
Updated Sep 10, 2022 12:45 PM CDT
Sean Penn, Ben Stiller Can Never Go to Russia
This image provided by Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation Press Service shows actor and producer Sean Penn visiting positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the frontline with Russia-backed separatists in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Nov. 18, 2021.   (Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation Press Service via AP)

Sean Penn and Ben Stiller have been very publicly engaged in activism on behalf of Ukraine, and now Russia would like them to know they're not welcome. The country's foreign ministry on Monday permanently banned 25 high-ranking officials, academics and experts, business leaders, and cultural figures from Russia, and the two actors were on the list, Deadline reports. "The hostile actions of the American authorities, which continue to follow a Russophobic course, destroying bilateral ties and escalating confrontation between Russia and the United States, will continue to be resolutely rebuffed," the ministry said in a statement noting the bans are based on the "principle of reciprocity."

In April, Penn said he'd even considered fighting for Ukraine, People reports. "And you kind of think what century is this? Because I was at the gas station in Brentwood the other day and I'm now thinking about taking up arms against Russia?" he said at the time. Also included on Monday's list were a number of senators (Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Rick Scott of Florida, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania), as well as US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, USA Today reports. Others, including President Biden and his family, have been banned in previous rounds of sanctions. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)

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