New US sanctions against Russia manifestation of unfair competition: Lavrov

The new United States sanctions against Russia are yet another manifestation of unfair competition, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

The United States on Thursday added 33 people and entities to its Russian defense and intelligence sector blacklist, meaning that anyone who does business with them will face mandatory US sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

"As for the new sanctions against Russian legal entities and individuals announced by the United States, we have already stopped being surprised by anything. As regards the Sukhoi company, a plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, these sanctions, of course, are yet another manifestation of unfair competition," Lavrov told a press conference.

The minister stressed that confidence in the existing principles of international monetary system had been undermined.

"It is not the first time that serious international problems affecting many members of the world community are caught in electoral cycles. But this is a very short-sighted approach, because confidence in the current principles of the international monetary system have been seriously undermined, and more and more countries are thinking about how to avoid any dependence on this international monetary financial system," Lavrov said.

He noted that Russia was "doing everything possible not to depend on countries that take actions against their international partners.