MOSCOW

Moscow on Monday blacklisted 25 US citizens including actor Sean Penn in response to Washington's "constantly expanding sanctions" against Russian citizens. 

According to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the group put on the "stop list" includes members of the US Congress, high-ranking officials, representatives of the business and expert communities, as well as public figures.

"The hostile actions of the American authorities, which continue to follow a Russophobic course, destroying bilateral ties and escalating confrontation between Russia and the United States, will continue to receive a decisive rebuff," the statement said.