RPT - US Sees Russian Sanctions On US As 'Escalatory,' Reserves Right To Retaliate - State Dept.

�WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th April, 2021) The United States sees Russia's retaliatory sanctions as escalatory and reserves the right itself to retaliate, a US State Department spokesperson told Sputnik.

"Today's announcement by the Russian government was escalatory and regrettable," the spokesperson said on Friday. "It is not in our interest to get into an escalatory cycle, but we reserve the right to respond to any Russian retaliation against the United States."

In response to the US sanctions against Russia, Moscow banned eight US citizens from entering the country, including US Attorney General Merrick Garland, US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

On Thursday, Washington imposed sanctions on 32 Russian entities, including tech firms, and individuals for their alleged interference in the 2020 US presidential election and the purported hacking of US software supply chain networks. Under the sanctions, US financial institutions are prohibited from buying Russian government bonds during Primary placements after June 14. However, they will still be able to buy and sell Russian government bonds on the secondary market.

The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the new US sanctions as running contrary to the interests of the two nations.