In response to sanctions against 7 Russian officials

Moscow calls on Washington to "not play with fire"

Navalny during his trial in Moscow.

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Russia called on the United States to "not play with fire", after Washington imposed sanctions on seven senior Russian officials, in response to the case of poisoning opposition Alexei Navalny, which was attributed to the Kremlin.

In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned what it called "a hostile attack against Russia, which is part of an American policy devoid of logic and meaning, and which only leads to additional harm to bilateral relations, with Moscow."

The Russian Foreign Ministry, which accuses Washington of using the Alexei Navalny case as a pretext, for public interference in Russia's internal affairs, said: "We will respond on the basis of the principle of reciprocity," affirming that "calculations aiming to impose something on Russia, through sanctions or other pressures, have failed." "The past ... and it will fail today."

The ministry added, "We will continue to systematically and resolutely defend our national interests and repel every aggression. We urge our colleagues not to play with fire," considering on the other hand that the United States "has lost the moral right to teach others a lesson."

The United States announced, the day before yesterday, the imposition of sanctions on senior Russian officials.

These are the first sanctions against Russia, announced by President Joe Biden, since he came to power on January 20.

Biden has adopted a more assertive tone toward the Kremlin than his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump.

The sanctions, which target in particular the director of the Russian Federal Security Service, Alexander Portnikov, were approved in close consultation with the European Union, and constitute a clear signal directed to Moscow, according to a senior American official, who declined to be named.

The sanctions also targeted the head of the Russian Prisons Administration, Alexander Kalashnikov, the head of the Russian Investigation Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, the Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, and a close aide to President Vladimir Putin, Sergey Kerenko.

The sanctions specifically provide for freezing the assets of the relevant officials in the United States.

Russia asserts that it will systematically and firmly defend its interests.

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