MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Russia will shut down US funds that interfere in Russia’s internal policy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday.
"We will restrict and shut down US funds, US non-governmental organizations who openly, directly interfere in our internal policies," he said.
Lavrov noted that Russia can take measures that will be painful to the US, but would keep them in reserve.
On Thursday, the US President signed an order to introduce sanctions against Russia. In particular, the US prohibits its companies from buying Russian state bonds issued after June 14, 2021. Washington also imposed sanctions against 16 organizations and 16 people allegedly involved in meddling in US elections. The sanctions also covered eight people and companies, connected to Crimea, including members of the regional government. Besides, the US expelled 10 diplomats working in the Russian Embassy in Washington. According to the US, some of them may be Russian intelligence officers in disguise.
Earlier on Friday, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov disclosed that Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov informed US Ambassador John Sullivan about Russia’s reciprocal measures in response to US sanctions.