Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) denounced Russia for enabling the “mass murder” of passengers on the Malaysia Airlines flight after the Kremlin barred him and 12 other Americans from the country.
In a strongly-worded statement, Moran called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to take responsibility for his role in destabilizing eastern Ukraine, where the passenger jet was shot down this week.
{mosads}”While [the ban] does clarify my overseas travel plans,” Moran said, “it seems that the Putin regime would be better served by addressing the consequences of encouraging and enabling Donetsk separatists to perform such a heinous act of cold blooded cruelty or utter incompetence that resulted in the mass murder of nearly 300 innocent civilians.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced Saturday that Moran and 12 others would not be permitted to enter the country.
The move was seen as a retaliation for U.S. sanctions against Russia, and specifically, for an order barring Russian lawmaker Adam Delimkhanov from the United States.
Saying he has no plans to travel to Russia, Moran said his effort to prevent U.S. tax dollars from flowing to the state-owned Russians weapons dealer Rosoboronexport may have also led to the ban.
Moran proposed amendments to the 2013 and 2014 defense spending bills to prohibit money from going to operate or maintain Rosoboronexport helicopters during training for special Afghan forces. Both passed the House.