Montenegro has reportedly barred 149 Russians and Ukrainians from entering the country in response to recent bans Moscow placed on Montenegrins traveling to Russia.
Those placed on the Montenegrin blacklist were selected because of their role in Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 in violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, local media reported on June 2, citing government officials.
The "undesirable" list reportedly includes Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, head of intelligence services Nikolai Patrushev, Republic of Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov, tycoon and owner of Tsargrad TV Konstantin Malofeyev, and the deputy secretary-general of the ruling United Russia party, Sergei Zheleznyak.
In 2014, Montenegro joined EU sanctions against Russia imposed over its aggression in Ukraine, a factor cited by Russian authorities in barring entry of a lawmaker from Montenegro's ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, Miodrag Vukovic, on May 28.
Following that incident, Montenegrin officials said Russia had a secret list of about 50 Montenegrin leaders it is banning, including Prime Minister Dusko Markovic, President of the Assembly Ivan Brajovic, and the leader of the ruling party, Milo Djukanovic.