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Russia reserves right for tit-for-tat response to UK’s anti-Russian sanctions - diplomat

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted, that these sanctions demonstrate that London is unready to give up its confrontational policy towards Moscow

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova

© Russian Foreign Ministry Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, December 12. /TASS/. Moscow reserves the right to take tit-for-tat measures in response to the UK’s new anti-Russian sanctions, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry was bewildered over the UK government’s decision announced on December 10 on imposing national sanctions against three Russian citizens and a unit of the National Guard for allegedly abusing human rights in the Chechen Republic, the diplomat said.

"Considering the principle of reciprocity, we reserve the right to take adequate tit-for-tat measures," the Russian diplomat said.

The new anti-Russian sanctions imposed by London demonstrate that the UK authorities are unready to give up the confrontational course towards Russia, the spokeswoman said.

"We view this unfounded decision as vivid demonstration that the British authorities are unready to give up their confrontational course towards Russia. No doubt, this politically engaged demarche will negatively affect the Russian-British inter-state relations," the diplomat stressed.

On December 10, the UK authorities imposed personal sanctions on three Russian politicians for alleged tortures and human rights abuses against representatives of the non-traditional sexual orientation in the Chechen Republic.

The restrictions that envisage a ban on an entry into the UK and a freeze of bank accounts were slapped against Chechen Parliament Speaker Magomed Daudov, Ex-Police Chief of the Chechen town of Argun, Ayub Katayev, and Chechen Deputy Interior Minister Alti Alaudinov. The sanctions were also imposed against the Chechen special rapid response unit Terek.

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