MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. Russia will respond to the US failure to issue visas to a number of Russian scientists, including the Rector of the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow, Evgeny Bazhanov, but the response will be proportioned, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Monday.

Ryabkov said the problem of a conflict in the Russian-US relations is acute, in particular criticizing the visa sanctions used both by Washington and its allies. “I want to mention the flagrant case of failure to issue visas to our researchers, including the Rector of the Diplomatic Academy,” he said.

“Even through the work of academic communities, they try to show us that they are not satisfied with our politics,” Ryabkov said.

“This unacceptable line will not stay unanswered, but this is not our choice and we proportion our responses,” the diplomat stressed.

The relations between Russia and the West deteriorated amid the Ukrainian crisis. In late July, the European Union and the United States switched from targeted sanctions, such as visa bans and asset freezes, against individuals and companies to penalties against the whole sectors of the Russian economy.

In response, in early August Russia imposed a one-year ban on imports of beef, pork, poultry, fish, cheeses, fruit, vegetables and dairy products from Australia, Canada, the EU, the United States and Norway.