Moscow bans more EU officials and politicians from Russia in response to sanctions

Russia's foreign ministry said on Friday it had significantly expanded a list of European Union officials and politicians banned from entering Russia in response to the latest round of sanctions by the bloc.

EU member states approved a 13th package of Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, banning nearly 200 entities and individuals accused of helping Moscow procure weapons or of involvement in kidnapping Ukrainian children, something Moscow denies.

"The European Union is continuing its fruitless attempts to put pressure on Russia through unilateral restrictive measures," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.