Biden tops list of US officials for sanctions

Travel bans, asset freezes apply as Moscow hits back at Russophobia

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced sanctions against 13 US individuals including President Joe Biden, his son Hunter and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

"This step, taken as a response measure, is the inevitable result of the extreme Russophobic policy of the current US administration, which, in a desperate attempt to maintain American hegemony, has abandoned any sense of decorum and placed its bets on the head-on containment of Russia," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"However, we do not oppose maintaining official ties when it is in our national interests, and, if necessary, we will address the issues arising from the status of the black-listed individuals in order to organize high-level contacts."

Also sanctioned are Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The move prevents those named from entering Russia and freezes any assets they have there, according to the BBC. Moscow called the restrictions "personal sanctions "and a "stop list" based on "the principle of reciprocity".

Russia also announced similar measures against 313 Canadians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several of his ministers.

Russia sees no sign that the United States is interested in resolving the conflict in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday. The United States has a decisive role in defining the position of the Ukrainian authorities, but "today, we see no interest from the United States to speedily resolve this conflict", Lavrov told the RBC television channel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a virtual address on Wednesday to US members of Congress. Zelensky appeared via video and was introduced by House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi after she gaveled in the session.

Zelensky cited Pearl Harbor and the 9/11 attacks in an appeal to US lawmakers for help against Russia. "We need you right now," he said.

Explosions reported

Several explosions rocked Kyiv early on Wednesday, and local emergency services reported two residential buildings were damaged.

The blasts happened as Kyiv was under a curfew that began late on Tuesday, due to what its mayor called a "difficult and dangerous moment".

At least three loud explosions were heard just after dawn in the western part of the city, and thick clouds of smoke billowed into the sky.

"Two residential buildings were damaged in an overnight bombardment in the central part of Kyiv, Shevchenkivskyi district. Two people reported wounded, 35 evacuated," the Ukrainian state emergency service said.

A neighboring 9-story building was also damaged in the attack, the statement added.

In broader diplomatic moves, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu flew to Russia and held talks with Russian officials on Wednesday as Ankara seeks to facilitate cease-fire talks between the two sides.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Cavusoglu "will continue our efforts to achieve a ceasefire and peace through talks with both sides".

The moves by Turkey are among the international efforts in recent days aimed at bringing the parties to a cease-fire. On Tuesday, three leaders from Eastern European nations met Ukraine's Zelensky in Kyiv on Tuesday.

He hosted the Polish, Czech and Slovenian prime ministers in the first visit to the city by foreign leaders since Russia began its special military operation.

"We have to halt this tragedy… as quickly as possible," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Facebook announcing his arrival, along with Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic and Slovenia's Janez Jansa.

Zelensky said his country should accept it would not become a member of NATO. But he insisted that security guarantees from NATO allies would be necessary to keep Ukraine safe.

Agencies contributed to this story.