KOVROV, August 26. /TASS/. The sanctions against Russia will not be lifted because the country has been and remains an eyesore for the West, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said at a special ceremony on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vasily Degtyaryov Plant.

"Some say sanctions are temporary. This is not true. Sanctions against Russia are forever. They will remain as long as there is Russia, because we are an eyesore for them with our outlook, our independence, our vast territory and our unbroken people," he said.

The current moment in Russian history cannot be called peaceful, he said.

"A threat is approaching us today, as it was the case on many occasions in Russian history. There is blackmail in politics. Sanctions have been declared against our country. This always happened when Russia firmly declared a policy of regaining its strength and its determination to stay independent," Rogozin said. "We’ve always been challenged, we are being challenged today and we’ll be challenged tomorrow."

The country’s armed forces owe their strength not only to the great stamina of the Russian soldier, but also to the highest reliability of Russian weapons, Rogozin added.