MOSCOW 

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky said Tuesday that Moscow is preparing countermeasures in response to the EU's ban on granting multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian nationals.

Lyubinsky declared at a commemorative event in Moscow that any hostile actions would provoke reciprocal responses.

"Certainly, every unfriendly step will elicit a corresponding reaction. It won't always mirror the initial action. We carefully assess how these measures will affect us practically. Depending on the extent of the ongoing visa restrictions, we’ll respond accordingly and shape our strategy," he said.

The European Commission enacted a ban on providing multi-entry visas to Russian travelers on Nov. 6.​​​​​​​