US sanctions represent hostile anti-Russian attack: Moscow

Earlier, the United States imposed individual sanctions, as well as trade and visa restrictions, targeting senior Russian officials, over the alleged poisoning of jailed Russian vlogger Alexei Navalny, Sputnik reported.

Russia's response to new US sanctions will not necessarily be symmetrical, Washington's decision is a triumph of the absurd and a hostile attack that will not affect Moscow's policy, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

The US followed EU suit earlier in the day to impose sanctions against Russia over alleged production of biological and chemical weapons. The list includes 14 organizations and a number of individuals. Russia has repeatedly denied all US allegations related to the Navalny case, saying Western countries ignored Moscow's requests for substantiating materials.

"The absurd triumphs when the reason for the imposition of sanctions is declared to be a deliberately arranged provocation with the alleged 'poisoning' of Navalny with some 'chemical weapons.' All this is just an excuse to continue open interference in our internal affairs. We do not intend to put up with this. We will react on the basis of the principle of reciprocity, not necessarily symmetrically," Zakharova said in a commentary.

"The US administration has undertaken a hostile anti-Russian attack, announcing, in a duet with the European Union, the next sanctions measures to 'punish Moscow,'" she said.

"It is probably difficult for colleagues in the United States to understand the illusory claims to their own exclusivity and come to terms with it. Calculations to impose something on Russia through sanctions or other pressure have failed in the past, and fail now. If the United States is not ready for an equal dialogue on a reasonable basis, this is their choice. Regardless of the US 'sanctions bias,' we will continue to consistently and resolutely defend our national interests, rebuffing any aggression. We call on our colleagues not to play with fire," Zakharova said.

"Washington, being a serial violator of international treaties and agreements in the field of arms control and non-proliferation, is by definition deprived of the moral right to 'lecture' others," she stressed.

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) joined the US Departments of State and Commerce on Tuesday in sanctioning seven senior Russian officials, including Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Aleksandr Bortnikov and Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, over the Navalny case.Follow the Official Rokna NEWS Telegram Channel For More and fresh NEWS.

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