OTTAWA, February 23. /TASS/. Russia will not leave another set of economic sanctions imposed by Canada unnoticed and will respond on the reciprocity principle, Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov told TASS on Tuesday.

"Obviously, Russia will respond. The response will be developed in accordance with rules of reciprocity existing in the diplomatic transnational practice. It will definitely follow," he said.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the sovereignty of the DPR and LPR (the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics). Subsequent agreements on friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders. Putin instructed the Russian Foreign Ministry to establish diplomatic relations with the DPR and LPR, and the Russian Defense Ministry was instructed to ensure the maintenance of peace on their territories.

On February 22, Canada and a number of other western nations imposed another set of anti-Russia sanctions amid Moscow’s recognition of the DPR and LPR.