https://sputniknews.com/- © Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov-Evgeny Mikhaylov
London promised a new round of restrictions against Russian companies in the coming days, citing so-called “Russian invasion plans” amid the Ukraine crisis.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Monday that London’s plans to target Russia with sanctions are not legitimate, blasting the threats as “an attack on businesses”.
“The British foreign secretary spoke about some sanctions. But here, I think, we must call everything by its proper name. Sanctions are something legitimate and something formally approved via a decision of the UN Security Council”, Peskov said. “In this case, we are talking about an undisguised attack on businesses”.
According to the official, any such aggression will bring countermeasures from Moscow to protect Russia’s national interests.
British media outlets previously reported that the cabinet plans to announce a new round of sanctions against Russia on 31 January, targeting energy companies and other “strategic” industries. At the same time, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated the government would present a new draft law in the UK Parliament in a bid to widen the anti-Russian sanctions list.
Britain’s Secretary of State of International Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities Liz Truss is seen outside Downing Street, in London, Britain March 17, 2020.
The threats come amid deteriorating ties caused by the Ukrainian crisis, as London continues to accuse Moscow of planning an invasion of Ukraine and seeking to install a “puppet government” in Kiev.
Moscow, in turn, blasted the allegation as “fake” and said that the escalation is deliberately being hyped up by the UK and the US, who are planning a provocation against Russia in Ukraine.