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Kremlin sanction a ‘badge of honour’ for George Freeman

Image: Quistnix [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Science minister among 287 UK parliamentarians sanctioned by Russia’s foreign ministry

George Freeman, the UK’s science minister, is among 287 UK politicians to have been sanctioned by the Russian foreign ministry in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the UK government over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On 27 April, the Russian foreign ministry published a list of 287 parliamentarians who it said would no longer be allowed to enter Russia because they had taken an “active part in the establishment of anti-Russian sanctions” and the “whipping up of Russophobic hysteria in the UK”.

Among those listed is Freeman, who tweeted: “I’ve been sanctioned by the Kremlin? Excellent. A badge of honour.”

Last month, Freeman announced that the government was suspending publicly funded research and innovation collaborations with Russian universities and companies if they were of strategic benefit to the Russian state. A month earlier, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy had started a “rapid” review of its R&D ties with Russia.

Freeman has also been regularly tweeting against the war on Ukraine since it started.

Johnson and Skidmore

Other parliamentarians on the list include Jo Johnson, who served as minister of state for universities, science, research and innovation from July to September 2019, as well as previously from 2015 to 2018.

Chris Skidmore, who served in the same role from December 2018 to July 2019, and from September 2019 to February 2020, was also included on the list.

Research Professional News has approached the Russian embassy, the UK government, Freeman, Johnson and Skidmore for comment.