Kremlin on Monday expressed its displeasure over Britain’s plan to target Russian companies to deter Russia from invading Ukraine. The Kremlin vowed that it will retaliate if need be.
“This is a very worrying statement from London, not only for our companies. This demonstrates a fair amount of unpredictability on the part of London and is a cause for serious concern for international financial structures,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
He called it an “undisguised attack on business.”
“Essentially, the British cabinet is threatening its big businesses, among other things. The Anglo-Saxons are massively ramping up tensions on the European continent.”
Moscow will respond with “retaliatory measures” if Russian companies are targeted, Peskov added.
“These measures will be based on our own interests,” he said without providing further details.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Sunday that UK was going to unveil new sanctions legislation. She said that doing so would widen country’s toolbox so “any company of interest to the Kremlin and the regime in Russia” could be targeted.
Russia curently has more than 100,000 of its troops stationed at its border with Ukraine. Though Russia claims that it does not have invasion in mind, various statement from the Russian side have been taken to be suggesting otherwise.
Russia is fiercely against Ukraine joining the NATO. It wants assurance from the West that Ukraine, a former Soviet state, would never be included in the alliance.
(With inputs from agencies)
