Hollywood actors Sean Penn and Ben Stiller have been added to a list of 25 US people sanctioned by Russia for publicly criticising the war in Ukraine.
The performers were put on a new list of primarily politicians, trade officials, and industry executives who were sanctioned and barred from visiting Russia, according to the foreign ministry.
Two-time Oscar winner Penn was in Ukraine recording a documentary when Russia invaded on 24 February. He has been a prominent supporter of Ukraine since, coming to the country in June to speak with the Ukrainian president.
Stiller and Penn have been prominent supporters of Ukraine throughout the crisis, and have met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in public displays of solidarity.
Penn also visited Bucha and Irpin near Kyiv, the locations of alleged Russian crimes against civilians, and President Zelenskyy publicly praised Penn for his assistance.
Russia denies targeting civilians in what it terms a “special military operation” to safeguard Ukrainian Russian speakers and neutralise a Western security threat.
Kyiv and the West argue that these are flimsy pretexts for an aggressive war.
The sanctions freeze any Russian assets held by persons on the list. It also prohibits Russian citizens from conducting business with them and restricts them from travelling to Russia.
