US imposes new sanctions on Russia for poisoning Sergei Skripal

The United States on Friday slapped a new round of sanctions on Russia over the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal in the United Kingdom last year.

Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were exposed to a military-grade nerve agent in the British city of Salisbury on March 4, 2018.

The United Kindom blamed Russia for carrying out the attack, which Moscow has denied.

"Today, pursuant to the Chemical and Biological weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (CBW Act), the United States is announcing a second round of sanctions on Russia for its use of a 'novichok' nerve agent in an attempt to assassinate Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal in the United Kindom on March 4, 2018," said Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson of United States Department of State, in a statement.

Washington said it will oppose "the extension of any loan or financial or technical assistance to Russia" by international financial institutions and put limits on US banks from financing Russian sovereign debt.

The US will also limit the export of goods and technology to Russia, Ortagus added.

Last year in August, Trump administration imposed similar sanctions against Russia.

The Trump administration also expelled 60 Russians from Moscow's embassy in Washington in concert with similar expulsions of Russians from Britain and other European countries.