No fewer than a dozen Americans, including President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin have been sanctioned by the Russian government.
Biden’s administration had earlier targeted a wide range of Russian financial institutions, government officials, including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and oligarchs with economic penalties intended to punish Russia for the war in Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
US and European allies have sanctioned the country's largest banks and the Central Bank of Russia.
They moved to cut specific financial institutions from the SWIFT financial messaging system, in a bid to cut Russia from the global financial system.
Mr. Biden announced last week his administration would also be banning Russian oil and gas imports into the US, a move that takes aim at a key sector of Russia's economy.
However, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced Russia’s sanction, as retaliation for sweeping economic penalties from the Biden administration targeting Russian entities over the invasion of Ukraine.
The list of those sanctioned by Russia includes 12 current and former US government officials, and Hunter Biden, Mr Biden's son, CBS reports.
In addition, the Americans slapped with the penalties are Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley; National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan; Central Intelligence Agency, Director William Burns and White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki.
Also on the list are Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh, US Agency for International Development chief Samantha Power, Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo, and US Export-Import Bank Chief Reta Jo Lewis.
In a statement, Russia's Foreign Ministry noted that it intends to sanction more US officials, military leaders, lawmakers and members of the media who are critical of the country.
However, US officials hit with penalties by Russia are prohibited from entering the country and any assets they hold there are frozen, the ministry said.
But the measures do not hinder high-level contacts if needed.
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