MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. The introduction of new US sanctions against Cuba is a sign of US impotence, because Washington will not succeed in breaking the will of the Cuban people, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated.

Speaking at a commemorative event in Moscow marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro, the senior diplomat said: "Despite Washington's unprecedented tightening of sanctions on Havana, including an aggressive energy blockade, the Cuban leadership is demonstrating outstanding resilience and courage in defending its sovereignty and pursuing an independent foreign policy, strictly following Castro's legacy. The introduction of ever-new restrictive measures is a manifestation of US impotence, and they will not succeed in breaking the will of the Cuban people."

"The courage, steadfastness, tenacity, self-confidence, and sense of identity with which the Cuban people have overcome unimaginable trials for seven decades in the face of the predatory, hegemonic ambitions of the US elite deserve boundless respect," Ryabkov added.

Last week, the US added five more legal entities and eight individuals in Cuba to its sanctions lists. These include the Yury Gagarin Military-Industrial Enterprise, as well as the companies Tecnotex, Tecnoimport, Duna, and UIM. The restrictions also apply to Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces Minister and Interior Ministry Alvaro Lopez Miera, his first deputy, and several military attaches.