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Russia to continue to respond to sanctions so as not to harm itself -— Putin

The president said the sanctions are detrimental and 'harm those who does it'

MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow will continue to respond to anti-Russian sanctions in such a way so as not to harm the country.

"We respond [to sanctions] and do that with very prudent steps so as not to harm ourselves, first and foremost," the president stressed at a plenary session of the Russian Energy Week forum. "We will continue to do so in the future."

"I sometimes think that it would be good for us, if those who seek to slap sanctions on us imposed all possible sanctions that could be imposed, and as soon as possible," the head of state noted. "That would give us a free hand to protect our national interests with the help of such means, which we consider most effective."

"In general, this (sanctions) is detrimental," he said. "That harms those who does it. We realized that a long time ago."

The head of state added that Moscow was opposed to illegitimate sanctions imposed bypassing the UN. "We have never supported and will never support illegitimate sanctions, which are imposed bypassing the United Nations," Putin stressed.