Borders Tories banned from entering Russia

Borders Tory MPs John Lamont and David Mundell, who have both been banned from entering Russia.

If Borders Tory MPs John Lamont and David Mundell were planning a wee summer break to Moscow, they will need to think again, after both were sanctioned by the Russian government for speaking out against Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

They are two of a number of MPs who have been imposed personal restrictions by Russia, which bans them from entering the country from today.

The Kremlin accused the MPs of fuelling “unwarranted Russophobic hysteria”, and in its statement seeking to justify the sanctions, claimed that: “These persons, who are now banned from entering the Russian Federation, took the most active part in the establishment of anti-Russian sanctions instruments in London, contribute to the groundless whipping up of Russophobic hysteria in the UK.”

Responding to the sanctions, Mr Mundell said: “If by speaking out against the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and by supporting the efforts of the Ukrainian people to defend their lives, homes and country I am to be targeted in this way, then it’s a badge of honour so far as I am concerned.

“There’s nothing ‘Russophobic’ about standing up to Putin, his illegal war and the death and destruction he is raining down on the peaceful people of Ukraine, and I am sure that, if they knew the truth of what was being done in their name, most ordinary Russians would be as horrified as we are at the actions of their government.

“These sanctions will do absolutely nothing to dissuade me from standing with the people of Ukraine in what is a fight for their very right to exist, and I am certain that will be a view shared by everyone locally too.”

And Mr Lamont tweeted today: “I’ve been sanctioned by Putin. It certainly won’t stop me from speaking out against his barbaric actions in Ukraine.”