MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. Moscow is in the process of hammering out appropriate measures to retaliate against the US-led West’s freezing of Russian assets, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday.

"As far as a reaction goes, yes, appropriate measures are being considered. I won't dwell on them now, but I can certainly say that work here is in progress," Zakharova assured.

The freezing of Russia’s gold and currency reserves by Western states is an "illegitimate measure breaching all norms of international law and business relations" and can be characterized as an "infringement against sovereign property," the diplomat insisted.

Moscow will consider any use of the frozen assets without its consent as "brazen theft", which would seriously affect the stability of the global financial system," she cautioned.