The US’ latest batch of sanctions targeting Russian businesses and China undermine global stability and are akin to playing with fire, Moscow said on Friday.

Iran PressEurope: The Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov said the sanctions were aimed at Russian defence organisations, politicians and businessmen.

Sergei Ryabkov added: "It would be good for them to recall the notion of global stability, which they recklessly upset by whipping up tensions in Russia-US relations."

In a statement cited by TASS news agency, Ryabkov added: “It’s foolish to play with fire, because things could get dangerous.  We’ve been keeping a close eye on how the US applies it sanctions against our country. This seems to have turned into some sort of national sport, with yesterday’s anti-Russian measures becoming the 60th since 2011.

“Every new round of sanctions shows that our enemy’s previous attempts to pressure Russia have failed to yield any result. Numerous US blacklists duplicate each other more and more. That’s funny, but this is true” Ryabkov said.      

Sergei Ryabkov 's comments came after Washington on Thursday imposed a new batch of sanctions, hitting 33 of Russia’s most high-profile citizens with close ties to Kremlin.

The US has already introduced several rounds of sanctions against the government of president Vladimir Putin for what it calls Russia’s meddling in the US democratic process and its' involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

On August 22, Washington further imposed sanctions on two Russians, one Russian company and one Slovakian company for aiding another Russian firm in avoiding sanctions over the country’s alleged cyber-related activities.

The US on August 21 also imposed sanctions on two Russian shipping companies and six ships over claims of transferring refined petroleum products to North Korean vessels.

Earlier, the US Department of State announced in a press release new sanctions on Russia on the basis of allegations of chemical weapon use by Moscow against former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the United Kingdom and demanded that Moscow allow international on-site inspections.

According to the US State Department, US authorities are going to decide whether to unveil a second package of sanctions against Moscow in 90 days’ time depending on whether it fulfills a number of conditions. Russia has repeatedly refuted allegations concerning its' involvement in the case.

The Russian embassy in the United States has said Washington has presented no evidence or document to show Moscow's alleged role in Salisbury poisoning claiming that the information on the incident was classified.

 

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