RUSSIA TAKES AIM AT TITANIUM, U.S. WORKERS IN SANCTIONS PLAN

MOSCOW: Russia outlined a broad range of potential retaliatory moves against new US sanctions, including curbs on imports of American farm products and cooperation in nuclear energy and space launches, as well as a possible ban on titanium sales to Boeing Co.

The proposals, which also include a potential bar on US consulting and accounting firms from working with state-owned companies and limits on imports of alcohol, will be discussed next week in the lower house of parliament, the State Duma. They also envision restrictions on visas for US specialists working in Russia. Presidential orders would be required to impose specific measures. New US sanctions targeting Russian businessmen, firms and officials imposed a week ago sent Russian markets into a tailspin and brought about promises of retaliation from the Kremlin. Given that Russia has little economic leverage over the US, officials said it could use an asymmetrical response as it has in the past to counter anti-Russian measures, as when it banned Americans from adopting its children or cut off student-exchange programs.

“During discussions of the unfriendly actions against our country, we talked about the need to respond to the boorish behaviour by the US and its creating obstacles to Russian business,” Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said, Tass news agency reported. The measures would affect the US and any other countries that join its sanctions on Russia. Given the Kremlin’s tight control over parliament, the bill is likely to be passed within days. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin would need some time to study the proposal but noted that no steps would be taken that would harm Russian interests.