MOSCOW, August 9. /TASS/. The United States has shown itself as the mastermind behind the staged poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia by imposing fresh sanctions on Russia, Deputy Speaker of Russia’s State Duma Irina Yarovaya said.

"The US has unmasked itself as the mastermind behind the cheap show to stage the poisoning of the Skripals. The curtain has been drawn, it reveals who directed and masterminded this provocation. These gentlemen are by no means first-timers in the criminal sanctions aggression," Yarovaya’s press service quotes her as saying.

"The Novichok operation was carried out by those who are not strangers to launching sanctions around the globe. It never bothered them that, even after being caught red-handed when accusing other countries for no good reason, they push ahead with their efforts aimed at destroying these countries and peoples. Such brainwashing on the part of US politicians and tycoons has long been in the criminal zone from the perspective of international law. Playing into their hands in the sanctions frenzy against Russia means the loss of security and economic well-being of the whole world," she emphasized.

Yarovaya described the Skripal case scenario as a provocation based on false accusations and reinforced by an onslaught on public consciousness. "Sanctions are a new form of committing international crimes some want to make law. That’s how the mechanism of anti-Russian sanctions launched in the US works," Yarovaya concluded.

The US Department of State earlier said Washington was imposing new sanctions on Russia over the Skripal case. They are expected to take effect on August 22. For its part, the Russian Embassy in the US stated that no evidence of Russia’s involvement in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia had been provided.