MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. The United States always comes up with various excuses for imposing anti-Russian sanctions, and it does not need any specific reasons to do so, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Soloviev Live YouTube channel, commenting on remarks by Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, about slapping sanctions on "those responsible" because of blogger Alexey Navalny’s case.

"Didn’t they [the Americans - TASS] promise sanctions last week, a month ago, six months ago? When I hear that, I recall every previous time they promised sanctions. By the way, the excuses are entirely different. They do not need any. They will always find and invent them," she emphasized.

Sanctions being taken against Russia must be retaliated against, but Russia will do this not aggressively, but in a well-considered way, Zakharova said.

"Taking well-considered and not aggressive action is always more useful and effective. Retaliation [against anti-Russian sanctions] must certainly follow," she said.

Zakharova added that the response would be public and well-reasoned.

"If no symmetric or proportionate action is taken, where the United States crosses a red line, it will feel absolute impunity," she said.