Russia to respond to bans asymmetrically

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says the new round of sanctions against Moscow over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine could trigger an “asymmetric” response from his country.

“If there are sanctions, linked with energy, [or] further restrictions on our finance sector, we will have to respond asymmetrically,” Medvedev in an interview with the Vedomosti newspaper published on Monday.

“For instance, restrictions in transport area. We act on the premise of friendly relations with our partners, and this is why the sky above Russia is open for flights. But if we are restricted, we will have to answer,” the Russian premier added.

He further said that certain Western airlines could go bankrupt if they were banned from using Russian airspace.

On September 5, the European Union said it had agreed on a new package of economic sanctions against Russia over its stance on the crisis in Ukraine. Tightening the existing measures, which had been imposed in July, the sanctions hit more individuals with travel bans and asset freezes, and make it more difficult for Russian oil and defense companies to access capital markets. The new sanctions will be formally implemented on Monday.

Ukraine’s mainly Russian-speaking regions in the east have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations to silence the pro-Russians in mid-April.

Violence intensified in May after the two flashpoint regions of Donetsk and Luhansk held local referendums in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine.

Western powers and the government in Kiev accuse Moscow of having a hand in the crisis in eastern Ukraine, but the Kremlin denies the accusation.