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Russia strongly condemns the US move to harden sanctions against Cuba and believes they are absolutely unacceptable, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

“We reiterate our position: Any manifestations of unilateral sanctions against sovereign independent countries in violation of the UN Charter, universally recognized norms and principles of international law are categorically unacceptable to us,” the diplomat said. “We firmly reject prohibitive measures against Havana. We regard any elements of pressure on the Cuban government and citizens of this country as absolutely unacceptable and illegal. We are confident that despite any US interference, Cuba will continue to steadily develop its foreign economic ties.”

According to Zakharova, Russia will continue to strengthen multifaceted interaction with Cuban friends in the spirit of close relations of strategic partnership.

“We will expand our political cooperation, deepen practical interaction in the interests of social and economic development, intensify bilateral contacts in the widest range of areas,” she said. “We are confident that the US sanctions policy against Cuba, as before, is doomed to fail.”