MOSCOW (Dispatches) – The Kremlin has censured the U.S. decision to blacklist the head of its top law enforcement agency and a lawmaker among three other Russians, saying the move will further deteriorate bilateral ties.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a press briefing in Moscow on Tuesday, "We deeply regret the fact that a lingering period of unprecedented degradation in our bilateral ties occurred during [U.S. President Barack] Obama's second presidential term."
The remark came after the U.S. Treasury Department announced Monday its decision to impose financial sanctions and visa bans on five Russian lawmakers and state officials.
Washington had expelled 35 Russian diplomats over allegations that Russia ran a hacking campaign to influence the U.S. presidential election last November. Moscow has dismissed the accusations as "witch-hunt."