Russia to 'definitely' respond to new sanctions: Lavrov

MOSCOW

Russia will "definitely" respond to new sanctions over the alleged poisoning of opposition figure Alexey Navalny, the country's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Lavrov said the US and the EU use sanctions more and more often.

"When there is nothing to show to substantiate their claims about the Navalny poisoning, when all those who treated him hide the facts that would help understand what happened to him, ... instead of honestly cooperating and revealing the facts, they begin to punish us, ... [but] this gives no credit to anyone who makes such decisions. And we will definitely respond," he said.

Asked about the EU idea to introduce COVID-19 certificates, Lavrov said it contradicts the voluntary principle of vaccination.

Navalny fell sick on Aug. 20 on a flight to Moscow. After an emergency landing in the Siberian city of Omsk, he spent two days in a Russian hospital before being sent to Berlin for treatment.

After running tests at several laboratories, German officials announced that Navalny was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent.

Navalny was arrested in the Russian capital upon returning in January from Germany for violating parole and sentenced to two and a half years in a prison colony.