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Russia sanctions reporters, councillors

Russia sanctioned councillors who sought to alter the name of the street featuring its consulate. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

The Russian government says it has added 41 Australian defence lobbyists, reporters and local council members to a list of people barred from entering the country.

Russia's foreign ministry on Friday night released the blacklist in what it said was a response to "politically motivated sanctions" by the Australian government against Russian individuals, put in place following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

"Australians from military-industrial complex contractors, journalists and municipal deputies who are shaping the anti-Russian agenda in this country are being denied entry to our country indefinitely," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Named journalists from the ABC, Nine News, Seven News, Ten News, SBS, Sky News and The Australian were included on the list along with several academics.

Executives from military contractor companies Thales Australia, DroneShield and BAE Systems also featured on the list.

Woollahra councillors Luise Elsing and Matthew Robertson were also named.

Woollahra council, in Sydney's east, earlier this year proposed renaming the street where the Russian consulate is based - Fullerton Street - to "Ukraine Street".

The council backed down in June, acknowledging "strong opposition from residents" of the street.

Russia describes the incursion of its forces into Ukraine as a "special military operation" to disarm and "de-nazify" its neighbour.

Ukraine and its allies have rejected this as nonsense.

Australia in May sanctioned more than 70 Russian politicians and more than 30 local officials in the eastern Ukrainian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The Russian government in June barred 121 Australian citizens including business people, army officials, academics and journalists from the country in retaliatory sanctions.

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