Russia on Saturday criticized new Western sanctions against a number of its officials for their role in the maritime incident last year off the coast of Ukraine and owed to respond to the "unfriendly" move.
"The argument of including our citizens on the EU´s list of illegal sanctions is hypocritical," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
In a statement on Friday evening, the ministry confirmed that Russia "will not leave the EU´s unfriendly step without a response," accusing the Europeans of bias on the eve of the March 31 presidential election.
"We can not ignore the coincidence of the decision before the presidential elections in Ukraine," the ministry said.
She denounced the "hatred of Russia" in Washington and Ottawa, saying that the sanctions "will not lead to the desired results by the United States and Canada."
The United States, in agreement with the European Union, Australia and Canada, on Friday imposed new sanctions on Russian officials "to continue their aggression in Ukraine," according to a statement by the US Treasury Department.
Six officials were listed for holding Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait off Crimea in November 2018 and for supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
The sanctions freeze the assets of these persons and prohibit any trade with them.
The sanctions also target six active defense groups in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and two construction and energy institutions.
24 Ukrainian sailors were arrested in the incident in the Kerch Strait. On Saturday, Russia said that "the Russian coast guard bravely defended their country´s borders," saying the incident was a "provocation" from the Ukrainian side.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow had stopped the Ukrainians "in accordance with international law standards."
Lawyers say the Ukrainian sailors may be imprisoned for six years to cross the Russian border illegally.
