The US rules out completely closing the door to Russian citizens

US sanctions packages on Russian businesses and oligarchs for the unprovoked war against Ukraine have yet to go as far as denying visas to all citizens of that country, a State Department official said Monday.

“The United States would not want to close safe havens for dissidents from Russia or others who are vulnerable to human rights abuses,” the official said in response to a request for comment from the U.S. voice of america.

Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24 Last year, the administration of President Joe Biden has imposed visa restrictions on almost 5,000 Russian citizens, according to state data.

“We have also made it clear that it is important to draw a line between the actions of the Russian government and its policies in Ukraine, and the people of Russia,” the source explained.

The kyiv government has reported on the increase in the combative actions of the Russian invaders in its territory in recent weeks, for which, the US Foreign Ministry announced, the Russian ambassador in Washington, Anatoli Antonov, was called to a consultation last August 18.

During the meeting, “the United States warned Russia against any escalation of its war against Ukraine”, this includes, State reported, “asking Russia to cease all military operations in or near Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and to return the full control of the Zaporizhzhya NPP.

_{*Journalist Nike Ching, a VOA correspondent in Washington, DC, contributed to this report.}

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