PETER Kyle has criticised Russia’s decision to sanction almost 300 MPs, including himself, as an “inexplicable move”.

The MP for Hove was among 287 members of the House of Commons to be banned from Russia in retaliatory sanctions announced by the Kremlin yesterday.

Mr Kyle said that the move will not deter him from his support for the people of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

He said: “It’s another inexplicable move by an irrational and dangerous dictator.

“I’m not going to worry about this move - my thoughts today, as every day, are with the people of Ukraine in their struggle against Putin’s tyrannical forces.”

12 Sussex MPs, including Mr Kyle, were included in the list - who were accused of “whipping up Russophobic hysteria” by Russia.

A translation of a statement reported by state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti said the sanctions were being applied “on the basis of reciprocity”.

It said: “These persons, who are now banned from entering the Russian Federation, took the most active part in the establishment of anti-Russian sanctions instruments in London and contribute to the groundless whipping up of Russophobic hysteria in the UK.

“The hostile rhetoric and far-fetched accusations coming from the lips of British parliamentarians not only condone the hostile course of London, aimed at demonising our country and its international isolation, but are also used by opponents of a mutually respectful dialogue with Russia to undermine the foundation of bilateral co-operation.”

Full list of sanctioned Sussex MPs

  • Huw Merriman, Bexhill and Battle
  • Nicholas Gibb, Bognor and Littlehampton
  • Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Brighton Kemptown
  • Gilligan Keegan, Chichester
  • Henry Smith, Crawley
  • Tim Loughton, East Worthing and Shoreham
  • Jeremy Quin, Horsham
  • Peter Kyle, Hove
  • Maria Caulfield, Lewes
  • Mims Davis, Mid Sussex
  • Nusrat Ghani, Wealden
  • Peter Bottomley, Worthing West

More MPs from across the county have expressed defiance in the face of the sanctions, and have said they will treat the action as a “badge of honour”.

Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle said that he “won’t be silenced in the same way Putin’s brutal regime seeks to shut down dissent inside Russia”.

“This war is reprehensible and causing untold human misery and Russia must end it immediately,” he said.

Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley also expressed pride in being issued with the sanction, and said: “Perhaps I should have done more to be awarded this honourable mention.”

Chichester MP Gillian Keegan said: “Russia’s actions have broken decades of peace on the European continent and I know that everybody in the Chichester constituency condemns this war and the ongoing atrocities that are being carried out.

“As a community, we have responded with kindness and generosity, so I shall wear this sanction as a badge of honour as we continue to stand with Ukraine.”

'I'm now sanctioned by two dictatorships'

Nusrat Ghani, MP for Wealden, said she is now in the rare position of being sanctioned by two countries - Russia and China.

She said: “For over a year, I have been dealing with the impact of sanctions from the Chinese Communist Party for exposing the mass abuse of slave labour and state-orchestrated genocide of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang.

“I have also been sanctioned by Russia, I assume for working with Bill Browder and the Magnitsky Sanctions Parliamentary Group calling for tougher sanctions of Putin’s oligarchs, and for trying to establish a special tribunal to hold Russia to account for their act of aggression against Ukraine.

“The fact is that being sanctioned by two authoritarian regimes means that I must be doing something right.

“I will not be intimidated or silenced by Putin or the Chinese Communist Party. I will continue to use my freedom to speak up against the horrors they are committing.”

'Sanctions will not deter our support'

Lewes MP and health minister Maria Caulfield joined others in expressing pride in the sanction by the Kremlin, and said: “These sanctions imposed on myself and other members of Parliament will not deter us from our unwavering support for Ukraine.”

MP for Mid Sussex Mims Davies said the sanction by the Russian government will not prevent her and her colleagues from standing up against the Kremlin.

She said: “I am proud my constituents have offered homes and sanctuary to those needing safety and they continue to ask me to be vocal on this matter for them.

“As employment minister, I am helping Ukrainians resettle and we are doing all we can to make sure they can be supported as we, as a nation, back them in their right to protect themselves.”

Crawley MP Henry Smith said he presumes the sanction was issued against him because of his recent visit to Ukraine, meeting with military commanders and coordinators of the humanitarian effort.

He said: “Given Putin’s appalling aggression against the Ukrainian people, I consider Russian sanctioning me as a badge of honour.”