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MOSCOW, March 16 (Itar-Tass) - RIA Novosti. Moscow in response to the latest Washington sanctions will complement its blacklist with a new "group of American figures," RIA Novosti said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

At the same time, Russia will proceed from the principle of parity, the diplomat noted.

Ryabkov stressed that the preparations for retaliatory measures are not a choice or a method of Moscow.

"We do this only because of American political stubbornness and unwillingness to perceive reality, and other steps are possible on our part, which we will calibrate, according to our own interests," he said.

At the same time, according to Ryabkov, Russia does not want to close the dialogue window with the United States for the possibility of stabilizing bilateral relations.

"We reaffirm that in this our determination we will not be shaken by any intrigues of opponents, which are many beyond the Atlantic Ocean," the Deputy Foreign Minister added.

He also urged US politicians to reflect on the fact that they are playing with fire, destroying Russian-American relations, "because they are simultaneously destroying global stability."

New sanctions

The day before, the US Ministry of Finance imposed sanctions against 19 people and five organizations under the law "On Countering America's Enemies through Sanctions" (CAATSA) and the decree "On Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Involved in Significant Malicious Cyberactivity."

Under the sanctions were 13 Russians, who, according to Washington, "interfered in the American elections." Restrictive measures will also affect six GRU employees, including the head of the department Igor Korobov.

The assets of the list's applicants will be frozen in the US, and citizens and permanent residents of the country will be banned from doing any business with them. The White House said that the new sanctions were "a response to cyberattacks."

In addition, the document shows companies of businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, members of his holding Concord, the Internet Research Agency, the FSB and the GRU.

At the same time, the State Department was allowed to impose new sanctions against Russia in connection with the "Skripal case".

Link: https://ria.ru/sanctions/20180316/1516498584.html