Russia says it will bar entry to Moran, 12 others, to retaliate for U.S. punitive actions --- MOSCOW — Russia announced Saturday that it is barring 13 Americans, including Rep. James P. Moran (D-Va.), from entering the country, just as Washington has blocked access for 13 Russian and Crimean officials in recent months. -- e Foreign Ministry also reiterated its pledge to counter the most recent round of U.S. economic sanctions with “response measures” of its own. -- The Obama administration on Wednesday announced tough new measures targeting major Russian banks and energy companies, a significant swath of the Russian defense industry and individuals it said were responsible for the continuing support of separatists battling government forces in eastern Ukraine. -- The sanctions came before the downing of a civilian Malaysia Airlines jet over rebel-held Ukrainian airspace Thursday, an act that President Obama called “an outrage of unspeakable proportions” and indirectly linked to Russia. -- “We have repeatedly stated that talking to us in the language of sanctions is useless,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said. “Such steps will not remain without consequences.” --- Moran said in a statement that he thinks Russia’s action against him stemmed from his efforts to block U.S. helicopter purchases from Rosoboronexport, a Russian state arms dealer, a principal supplier of arms to the Syrian government. -- “While this does clarify my overseas travel plans, 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,” Moran’s statement said. -- More, Karoun Demirjian, Washingtonpost