Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on a recent analytical study on the losses Russians suffer due to Moscow’s counter-sanctions but stressed that the restrictions are a necessary measure, APA reports citing TASS.
According to the recent study conducted by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) and the Center of Economic and Financial Studies, Russians have to spend more due to Russia’s counter-sanctions regarding food products from a number of other countries.
"Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the details of these scientific studies that is why I refuse to comment on this in any way," the Kremlin official told reporters.
"Russia was not the initiator of the sanctions exchange. This [counter-sanctions] is a necessary measure," Peskov recalled.
"Every cloud has a silver lining, so there are certain advantages of import substitution for the development of national sectors of the economy. These are forced measures, indeed. Now we are exchanging decisions on sanctions which was not our initiative," the spokesman for the head of state stressed.