The measures to be taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia to retaliate against the promulgation of the Magnitsky list by American senators are not going to derail the reset in the U.S.-Russian relationship, according to Mikhail Fedotov, who serves as the Chairman of the Presidential Council for the Development of Human Rights and Civil Society.  

Mr. Fedotov said “I am sure that the retaliatory measures in response to the U.S. State Department’s ‘black list’ do not mean an end to the reset policy between Russia and the United States.” “The Ministry’s steps are absolutely logical and are based on the reciprocity principle that has existed in international relations since ancient times,” the Russian official added.

Mr. Fedotov stated that the introduction of Russia’s retaliatory measures is a forced step, and that it would be inappropriate to interpret it as a move to safeguard the individuals responsible for the demise of attorney Sergei Magnitsky, who represented Hermitage Capital.

“On the contrary, our Council is absolutely confident that the culprits will be punished, although not due to outside pressure but in view of the decisive position of the Russian government,” Fedotov commented.

Russia’s measures were designed as a reaction to the U.S. State Department’s decision to place a number of Russian officials it considers responsible for the untimely demise of Magnitsky in pretrial detention on a list of persons inadmissible to the United States.