MOSCOW, May 08. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia will not leave sanctions imposed by the United States and Canada on Russian officials and companies without response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Thursday.
“Sanctions are not our method, but unfriendly actions force us to give a rebuff,” Lukashevich said. “The latest sanctions-related 'creative activity' of Washington and Ottawa is not an exception.”
“The names of new persons on the Russian ‘stop-list’ will not be announced publicly, but those who have been put on it will learn about that when they apply for a visa,” he said.
Canada's sanctions against Russia
On April 29, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper decreed to introduce a set of sanctions in regard to nine Russian individuals and two banks explaining the decision by Russia’s stance on the Ukrainian crisis.
"Our government has been very clear that any further intimidation or actions to destabilize the Ukrainian government will result in consequences," the premier said in a statement.
“Until Russia clearly demonstrates its respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Canada will continue to work with its allies and like-minded countries to apply pressure that will further isolate Russia economically and politically,” Harper added.
The sanctions envisage travel bans for nine Russian nationals, who are Oleg Belaventsev, the Russian presidential envoy to the Crimean Federal District, Vyacheslav Volodin, the first deputy head of the Russian presidential administration, Dmitry Kozak, a deputy prime minister, Yevgeny Murov, the head of the Federal Protective Service, Alexei Pushkov, a lawmaker, Alexander Babakov, a lawmaker, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a lawmaker, and businessman Arkady and Boris Rotenberg.
The sanctions were also imposed on two Russian banks, namely ExpoBank and RosEnergoBank, but the nature of sanctions was not clarified in the statement.
{article_slideshow:729918:'EU publishes new black list of Russians':'right':'50'}US sanctions against Russia
On April 28, the United States announced new sanctions against Russia in relation to the events in Ukraine. According to the announcement of the press secretary of the White House, the new measures will affect 7 officials, including two officials from the inner circle of Russian president, as well as 17 companies connected with the people of this circle. In addition, the US Department of Commerce imposes "additional restrictions" on 13 people from these companies.
The US Department of treasury said that the list includes presidential envoy to the Crimean region Oleg Belaventsev, CEO of Rostech Sergei Chemezov, Deputy prime-minister Dmitry Kozak, Federal Guard Service Eugene Murov, Chairman of the State Duma lower house committee for international affairs Alexei Pushkov, head of Rosheft Igor Sechin, the first deputy head of the presidential administration Vyacheslav Volodin.