The Russian Foreign Ministry considers the imposition of US sanctions on senior Russian officials over the poisoning of Alexei Navalny as a “hostile act” and calls on Washington “not to play with fire”.

“The US administration carried out a hostile, anti-Russian attack when, together with the European Union, it announced further sanctions to punish Moscow.

The imposition of sanctions over the Alexei Navalny case is just an excuse for the United States to interfere in Russia’s internal affairs. Moscow’s response will be appropriate”, - reads the statement.