SEVERAL North East MPs are on a list of almost 300 parliamentarians banned from entering Russia by Vladimir Putin.
The Russian government has taken the action in response to the UK sanctioning several Moscow politicians last month following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Read more: Residents in this part of region placed on 'fire alert' as warning signs go up
MPs from our region to make the baned list include South Shields MP Emma Lewell Buck, Thirsk and Malton's Kevin Hollinrake, Whitby and Scarborough MP Robert Goodwill and Ripon and Skipton MP Julian Smith.
York Central MP Rachael Maskell also makes the list alongside several prominent politicians including Jacob Rees Mogg and Diane Abbott.
However, the Kremlin appears to have used outdated information as a number of people no longer serving as MPs are also named on the sanctions list.
These include Dominic Grieve, who was Shadow Home Secretary until 2009 but has not been an MP for three years, and former Secretary of Education Justine Greening and former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Oliver Letwin, who both stepped down in 2019,
Boris Johnson, who was himself sanctioned by the Kremlin earlier this month, told the House of Commons that MPs 'should regard it as a badge of honour' to be included on the list.
Kevin Hollinrake joked that he 'is getting quite the collection' of countries he is banned from, having already being barred from China for criticising the Beijing regime.
He told The Northern Echo: “To be honest I would have been disappointed if I had not been on the sanctioned list - I can’t say it is materially going to change my life.
“Over the years I have stood up against Russian aggression in Syria and other places and stood up against dirty Russian money coming into the country and money laundering and other things that happen here that originate in Russia and I will continue to be an outspoken critic."
He added: “I’m getting quite the collection, I am becoming less and less popular, but there's some people you don’t really want to be liked by.”
In a statement, the Russian foreign ministry said the people on the list "took the most active part in the establishment of anti-Russian sanctions instruments in London, and contribute to the groundless whipping up of Russophobic hysteria in the UK.
"The hostile rhetoric and far-fetched accusations coming from the mouths of British parliamentarians not only condone the hostile course of London, aimed at demonizing our country and its international isolation, but are also used by opponents of mutually respectful dialogue with Russia to undermine the foundation of bilateral co-operation."
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