- Russia banned nearly 1,000 US citizens from entering the country in a new list of sanctions.
- The list also includes Republican Sen. John McCain, who died in 2018.
- McCain was a vocal supporter of helping Ukraine after Russia's military intervention in 2014.
Russia included Sen. John McCain on its new list of Americans that are banned from entering Russia, seemingly not realizing that he is dead.
The Russian foreign ministry released a new list of sanctions on Saturday, targeting nearly 1,000 US citizens in response to their support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion. The list was first reported by The Washington Post.
Among those named are lawmakers, tech executives, journalists, and Hollywood actors.
But even people who are dead appeared on the list, including McCain, who passed away from brain cancer in 2018.
During his time in the Senate, McCain was one of the fiercest Republican critics of Russia.
After Russia's 2014 military intervention in Ukraine, he advocated heavily for aid to Ukraine and called on the US to strengthen its sanctions against Russia.
"I think we have to change our whole relationship with Vladimir Putin," McCain told NPR in March 2014, describing Putin as "a KGB colonel that is committed to the restoration of the Russian empire."
Living politicians who were named on the sanctions list include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate majority leader Charles Schumer, House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, The Post said.
Former President Donald Trump, who was known for praising Russian President Vladimir Putin during his time in office, was not mentioned.
"Russia does not seek confrontation and is open to honest, mutually respectful dialogue, separating the American people, who are always respected by us, from the US authorities, who incite Russophobia, and those who serve them," the Foreign Ministry wrote in a press release that accompanied the new sanctions, according to The Post.
"It is these people who are included in the Russian 'black list,'" it added.
In April, Russia announced it had sanctioned nearly 300 British MPs, but its list featured a number of politicians who are no longer serving.