Russia limits US sanctions retaliation to tit-for-tat moves

Russia expelled 10 American diplomats and imposed sanctions on eight officials in tit-for-tat moves retaliating for new U.S. punitive measures, but stopped short of responding to American restrictions on its sovereign debt.

The Russian government could take steps that harm the interests of U.S. businesses but will hold those in reserve for the moment, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a press conference on Friday.

The moves come after the U.S. Thursday announced sanctions on 32 entities and individuals and six Russian companies over allegations that Moscow was behind a hack on SolarWinds Corp. and interfered with last year’s presidential election. The Kremlin denies any role in those attacks.

Lavrov said Russia wouldn’t immediately respond to the U.S. decision to ban its financial institutions from buying new Russian government debt in the primary market. The ruble and Russian bonds initially fell on reports of those restrictions but later made up most of their losses.