Russia threatens retaliation over US sanctions

A top Russian diplomat on Sunday
lambasted the United States Congress for
voting to sanction Russia, and warned of
retaliation by Moscow.
Speaking on ABC's "This Week," Russian
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
referred to a bill passed by Congress on
Thursday to sanction his country as "weird
and unacceptable," and said it was "the last
straw."
"If the US side decides to move further
towards...deterioration, we will answer.
We will respond in kind. We
will...retaliate," he said.
Ryabkov's comments came after Moscow
ordered the US on Friday to cut hundreds
of diplomatic staff and said it would seize
two US diplomatic properties as a response
to the new sanctions that were approved
nearly unanimously by both the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
READ MORE: Wag the bear
Ryabkov confirmed that the seizing of the
properties was in response to the bill, but
declined to say what other measures Russia
is willing to take if the United States
continues to apply pressure.
"We have a very rich toolbox at our
disposal," he said. "It would be ridiculous
on my part to start speculating on what
may or may not happen. We are not
gamblers. We are people who consider
things very seriously and very responsibly.
But I can assure you that different options
are on the table and consideration is being
given to all sorts of things."
The United States-Russia relationship has
become increasingly strained in the wake
of US intelligence agencies conclusion that
the Kremlin interfered in the US election to
discredit Hillary Clinton and help
President Donald Trump win the election.
Russia has denied meddling in the US
election.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the former
director of the FBI, is investigating Russian
meddling in the 2016 presidential race and
whether or not Trump's campaign may
have colluded with Russia - an allegation
that Trump and his associates have
staunchly denied.

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