Russia slaps retaliatory sanctions on Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Hunter Biden

Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton — (Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

"Hillary Clinton can abandon dreams she may have had of buying a vacation dacha in Sochi," BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher deadpanned Tuesday. "Any Joe Biden post-presidency plans for starting a business in Moscow will have to be shelved."

Russia's foreign ministry said Tuesday that it has imposed sanctions on 13 Americans, including President Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and other members of the Biden administration. Also on the list, curiously enough, are Clinton, the former senator and secretary of state, and Biden's son Hunter Biden. No Republicans made the cut.

These 13 people will be barred from visiting Russia, and any assets they have in Russia will be frozen. The Kremlin said the sanctions were imposed "on the basis of reciprocity" and designed to punish the Biden administration's "extremely Russophobic" actions after Russia invaded Ukraine. They "are largely symbolic since there is little indication that the American officials have large assets in Russia or a desire to soon travel there," The Washington Post reports.

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Since Russia attacked Ukraine 20 days ago, it quickly became the most-sanctioned country in the world. The value of its currency tanked and Russia's stock markets have not opened since the invasion.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.