MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. Russia will respond if the US comes through with more sanctions that include disconnection from the SWIFT international payment system, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Friday.

Russia is making efforts to explain what it needs its opponents to do instead of sanctions, he said. But if the sanctions are introduced, "there will be a response, a way to shield us from the fallout of that kind of reckless actions," he said at an online news conference.

He said sanctions against Russia are "disgraceful" and they failed to produce an impact.

The New York Times on Wednesday reported that the US could impose tough sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine, but the measures would be hard to implement and insufficient to influence Moscow’s behavior. The restrictions could affect the Russian president’s inner circle, energy producers, major banks and the Russian Direct Investment Fund as well as include disconnecting Russia from SWIFT.