CARACAS, February 19. /TASS/. Venezuela's state-owned oil and gas company PDVSA has condemend US sanctions against Russia's Rosneft Trading.

"PDVSA and its employees express their disagreement with the restrictive measures adopted by <...> the US authorities against [the subsidiary of] Rosneft oil company which invests and carries out commercial activities in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on legal grounds," the Venezuelan company said in a statement. "US policy of unilateral sanctions is aimed at competitors on the global market <...> so that they can influence prices, control or eliminate main players, thus gaining hegemonic control over the global oil market," the company added.

The US administration on Tuesday announced new sanctions against Rosneft Trading S. A. and its and president, Didier Casimiro, for selling Venezuelan oil. Those on the sanctions list have their assets in the US frozen, while American citizens and companies cannot engage in any business activities with them. Washington granted 90 days to complete all deals with Rosneft Trading.