Moscow, August 30- The Russian government has banned a total of 92 U.S. citizens from entering the country, including 14 journalists from the Wall Street Journal and executives from several American military companies. The decision was confirmed in a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

According to reports from the Associated Press (AP) and Japan's NHK, the ban comes as a retaliatory measure against the Biden administration's sanctions on numerous Russian lawmakers and businessmen, which the Russian government claims are intended to incite anti-Russian sentiment.

The list of banned individuals includes journalists from several prominent U.S. newspapers: 14 from the Wall Street Journal, five from the New York Times, and four from the Washington Post. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused these media outlets of creating and spreading misinformation about Russia and its military operations.

A spokesperson for the *Wall Street Journal* responded to the ban, stating to NHK that the Russian administration under President Vladimir Putin continues its "all-out attacks on independent media and the truth." The spokesperson further described the ban as "ridiculous."

This move is part of a broader pattern by Moscow, which has so far banned over 2,000 U.S. citizens from entering Russia. The increasing sanctions and counter-sanctions highlight the escalating tensions between Russia and the United States amidst the ongoing geopolitical disputes.