Moscow: West Does Not Care About Global Consequences of Anti-Russian Sanctions

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The West does not care about the global socio-economic consequences of anti-Russian sanctions, Alexander Shchetinin, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of Latin America (DLA), said in an interview with Sputnik.

"We understand that Latin Americans are under powerful pressure from the 'collective West', which uses for this its entire arsenal of means and political influence, economic promises, and blackmail. At the same time, it frankly does not care about the global socio-economic consequences of the sanctions imposed against Russia, in particular in the energy, financial, and food sectors", the diplomat said.

Western countries have imposed multiple sanctions in response to Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. A number of companies announced their withdrawal from the Russian market and the closure of production facilities in the country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Western companies that refuse to work with Russia did so under enormous pressure, but Moscow will solve all the economic problems the West creates for it.

Flames from a gas burner on a cooker are seen February 1, 2017 in this illustration photo taken in a private home in Nice, France. Picture taken February 1, 2017

© REUTERS / Eric Gaillard

Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on 24 February in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.

The Russian Defence Ministry said the special operation aims to "demilitarise and de-Nazify" Ukraine. Moscow has stressed that it only targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, adding that Russia has no plans to occupy Ukraine.