Russia imposes reciprocal sanctions on 25 UK officials

MOSCOW: Russia on Saturday imposed sanctions on 25 British officials, responding to penalties Britain imposed in July against the same number of Russians over human rights violations.

"In response to unfriendly actions by the British authorities and on the basis of reciprocity, the Russian side made a decision to impose personal sanctions on 25 representatives of Great Britain who are now banned from entering Russian territory," said a foreign ministry statement.

In July, Britain sanctioned 25 Russian officials for their alleged involvement in the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, barring them from travelling to the UK and freezing their British assets.

Those targeted include Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the powerful Investigative Committee that reports directly to President Vladimir Putin.

Magnitsky, a tax consultant for British financier William Browder, died in prison of untreated illness in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of a $230-million tax fraud.