Russia to Provide 'Practical' Response to New US, Canada Sanctions - Moscow

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that the new sanctions imposed against Russia continue on the harmful course toward the full destruction of bilateral relations, stressing that a practical response from Moscow would follow.

"As for our practical answer, it will certainly ensue", the ministry’s statement reads.

"We express our regret that in the American and Canadian capitals they continue to pursue a disastrous course towards the complete destruction of bilateral relations with Russia, which are already in a very deplorable state as a result of the heavy Russophobia that swept Washington and Ottawa", the ministry said.

READ MORE: EU Made Decision on Russia Sanctions Over Kerch Strait Incident — Austrian FM

"They are trying again to justify the new restrictions by the allegedly aggressive actions of Russia against Ukraine, and the 'illegal annexation of the Crimea,' this time adding baseless accusations of 'unjustified use of force' in the Kerch Strait", the ministry said, adding that the sanctions, no matter how many, do not and will not bring the desired results for the United States and Canada.

However, the Russian Foreign Ministry added that there was nothing new or unexpected in the decisions by Washington and Ottawa.

"The new portion of sanctions, coordinated with the European allies, was imposed today by the United States and Canada. There is nothing new or unexpected about it. In recent years, Washington and Ottawa, using fake pretexts, have been periodically introducing restrictive measures against Russian citizens and organizations. The goal is to put pressure on our country", the ministry said.

Earlier in the day, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on eight Russian individuals and six entities, including shipbuilding and energy companies. Similarly, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release on Friday that it had imposed new sanctions on more than 100 Russian individuals and 15 entities in response to the Kerch Strait incident and Crimea’s reunification with Russia.

READ MORE: US, Canada Expand Anti-Russia Sanctions Over Ukraine

On 25 November, Ukraine's Berdyansk and Nikopol gunboats and the Yany Kapu tugboat illegally crossed the Russian maritime border as they sailed toward the Kerch Strait, the entrance to the Sea of Azov. Russia seized the Ukrainian vessels and detained 24 people on board after they failed to respond to a demand to stop. After the incident, a criminal case on illegal border crossing was opened in Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the incident a provocation, noting that there were members of the Ukrainian security service, who were in charge of the operation, on board the Ukrainian vessels.

READ MORE: New Anti-Russia Sanctions to Complicate Talks on Kerch Strait Crisis — Berlin