Kremlin spokesman says there’s ‘absolutely no clear logic’ behind the EU’s sanctions over Navalny’s poisoning

Moscow considers the sanctions that Europe has introduced against a number of Russian officials in response to the poisoning of opposition figure Alexey Navalny a “deliberately unfriendly gesture towards Russia,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday, October 15.

In Peskov’s opinion, there’s “absolutely no clear logic” behind the Council of the European Union’s decision to impose sanctions.

“The decision to make relations between the European Union and Moscow dependent on a person, who in Europe is considered the leader of some opposition, of course, causes nothing but regret,” Peskov said.

Peskov also promised that the Kremlin will give “a response [to the sanctions] that will best suit the interests of the Russian Federation.”

On October 15, the European Union, and subsequently the United Kingdom, announced personal sanctions against FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, Putin’s head of domestic policy Andrey Yarin, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Executive Office Sergey Kiriyenko, deputy defense ministers Alexey Krivoruchko and Pavel Popov, as well as Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Siberian Federal District Sergey Menyaylo. The sanctions include a ban on entry into the EU and a freeze on all financial assets held in the union.

The EU also sanctioned Russia’s State Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (GosNIIOKhT), where it is believed that Novichok-type nerve agents were developed during Soviet period.