Russia has promised retribution for new US sanctions slapped on seven Russian oligarchs and 17 Russian government officials on Friday.
The sanctions against Russia opens up another ‘warpath’ by President Donald Trump against foreign nations.
Trump already has North Korea and China in his sight with tougher sanctions against Pyongyang for its nuclear programme.
This week, Trump opened a new trade-war-cum-technological-warfare versus China with the consequence of a strike-back from Beijing.
The anti-Russian move is a step by the U.S. administration to push back on Russia – which has been a pain on the Donald Trump presidency since last year.
The US said the sanctions were in response to what it called “malign activity” by the Russians around the world.
Russia is currently embroiled in a controversy over attacks against former Russian spies.
In the latest incident, former Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a toxic nerve agent called Novichok.
Skripal is no longer in a critical condition after being poisoned by a nerve agent, doctors have said according to reports.
The move by the White House is an attempt by Trump to show that he is taking tough action to stand up to Moscow.
However, the Russians are fighting back.
“We will not let the current attack, or any new anti-Russian attack, go without a tough response,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, a key target of the sanctions, called them “groundless, ridiculous and absurd.”