MOSCOW: Moscow on Saturday accused the US of being ready to risk global energy instability with new wide-reaching sanctions on Russia鈥檚 energy sector.
The US and the UK on Friday announced new sanctions against Russia鈥檚 energy sector, including oil giant Gazprom Neft, just days before President Joe Biden leaves office.
Moscow鈥檚 foreign ministry said in a statement that on the eve of Biden鈥檚 鈥渋nglorious time in power,鈥� Washington was trying to 鈥渃ause at least some harm to Russia鈥檚 economy even at the cost of destabilising world markets.鈥�
鈥淥f course Washington鈥檚 hostile actions will not be left without reaction,鈥� it added.
In a reference to the California wildfires, Moscow accused Biden鈥檚 administration of leaving behind 鈥渟corched earth,鈥� or total destruction, for incoming US President Donald Trump 鈥� since he cannot cancel the sanctions without Congress approval.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier told reporters that the Biden administration was trying to leave Trump 鈥渁s heavy a legacy as possible.鈥�
The US Treasury Department said Friday it was designating more than 180 ships as well as Russian oil majors Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, fulfilling 鈥渢he G7 commitment to reduce Russian revenues from energy.鈥�
Gazprom Neft on Friday slammed the sanctions as 鈥渂aseless鈥� and 鈥渋llegitimate,鈥� Russian state news agencies reported.
Biden鈥檚 deputy national security adviser for international economics, Daleep Singh, called the sanctions 鈥渢he most significant鈥� yet on Russia鈥檚 energy sector, which he said was 鈥渂y far the largest source of revenue for (President Vladimir) Putin鈥檚 war.鈥�
The Russian ministry on Saturday accused the US of seeking to 鈥渉inder as far as possible or even make impossible any bilateral economic ties, including with US business.鈥�
It said Washington was 鈥渟acrificing to this the interests... of European allies,鈥� which are 鈥渇orced to switch over to more expensive and unreliable American supplies.鈥�
It also accused Washington of 鈥渋gnoring鈥� the views of its own population on rising energy prices once the presidential election was over.