The Kremlin on Wednesday said sanctions on Russia over the case of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were "absolutely unacceptable."

"We believe such measures are absolutely unacceptable because they significantly damage already bad relations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has also urged the U.S. administration "not to play with fire," calling the U.S. sanctions "a hostile anti-Russian attack" under an absurd pretext.

"Entangled in its own internal problems, the White House is again trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy. We have repeatedly commented on this American policy, which is devoid of logic and meaning and only more and more worsens bilateral relations," said the ministry.

The U.S. and the European Union on Tuesday announced sanctions and restrictions against Russian individuals and entities over the case of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Seven senior Russian officials and 15 entities are on the U.S. sanction list, although Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier warned that Moscow would respond in kind to any new U.S. sanctions.

The EU decided to freeze the European assets and ban the entry of four Russian officials, Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, head of the National Guard Viktor Zolotov, chairman of Russian investigation committee Alexander Bastrykin, and chief of the federal prison service Alexander Kalashnikov.

The decision of EU foreign ministers also prohibits European individuals and firms from making funds available to the listed officials.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that the country will retaliate based on the principle of reciprocity and continue to resolutely defend its national interests.

The ministry asked the U.S. to honor its obligations and destroy chemical weapons, which Russia does not have since 2017.

The U.S. has been deprived of the moral right to lecture others since it is a serial violator of international treaties and agreements in the field of arms control and non-proliferation, it said.

On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also answered a question about the sanctions at its regular press conference. Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson from the ministry, reiterated China's stance, saying the case is entirely Russia's internal affairs.

External forces have no right to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states, Wang said.

China hopes the relevant countries can strengthen understanding of each other and resolve differences through consultations and dialogues, instead of resorting to unilateral sanctions or threats of sanctions in international relations, said Wang.

(With input from AFP, Xinhua)