Moscow has warned that Washington’s latest raft of anti-Russian sanctions that also target China undermined global stability.
It warned that the United States is “playing with fire”.
“It would be good for them to remember
there is such a concept as global stability which they are thoughtlessly
undermining by whipping up tensions in Russian-American ties,” deputy
foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a statement.
there is such a concept as global stability which they are thoughtlessly
undermining by whipping up tensions in Russian-American ties,” deputy
foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a statement.
“Playing with fire is silly, it can become dangerous,” he added.
“We recommend that Washington’s operators
of the sanctions machine at least superficially acquaint themselves
with our history to stop going round in circles.”
of the sanctions machine at least superficially acquaint themselves
with our history to stop going round in circles.”
On Thursday, the United States expanded
its sanctions war against Russia to China, for the first time announcing
punitive measures against a Chinese military organisation for buying
Russian fighter jets and missiles.
its sanctions war against Russia to China, for the first time announcing
punitive measures against a Chinese military organisation for buying
Russian fighter jets and missiles.
The State Department also announced it
was placing 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its
sanctions blacklist.
was placing 33 Russian intelligence and military-linked actors on its
sanctions blacklist.
All of them —defence related firms,
officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated
with the Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation
group — have been on previous US sanctions lists
and 28 of them have already been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is
investigating Russia election meddling.
officers of the GRU military intelligence agency, and people associated
with the Saint Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency disinformation
group — have been on previous US sanctions lists
and 28 of them have already been indicted by Robert Mueller, who is
investigating Russia election meddling.
Ryabkov reiterated that none of the rounds of sanctions had managed to force Russia to change its course so far.
“The numerous American ‘black lists’ increasingly repeat each other. It is funny but it is so,” he said.
“It appears that it has become a sort of
national pastime there,” Ryabkov said, adding that the latest round of
anti-Russian measures was the 60th since 2011.
national pastime there,” Ryabkov said, adding that the latest round of
anti-Russian measures was the 60th since 2011.
