Vyacheslav Nikonov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs said “if such decisions (to seize Russian assets in the US) are being made, there is a high probability that the Russian side will respond symmetrically.”
If Russia decides to respond to the seizure of Russian assets in the United States with a tit-for-tat retaliation, Vyacheslav Nikonov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, said TASS on Thursday that Washington will lose far more than Moscow.
“For many years, the United States has prevented the acquisition of American property by Russian citizens and Russian investments in the United States,” said the deputy, adding “Therefore, historically, American assets on our territory many times exceed the volume of Russian assets on American territory.”
“If such decisions (to seize Russian assets in the United States) are being made,” according to him, “there is a high probability that the Russian side will respond symmetrically.”
“In this case, the losses of the American side will be much bigger,” added the first deputy.
If such a decision is made, he believes the funds will be allocated to restore those former Ukrainian territories that are now being ravaged “by the Ukrainian armed forces and nationalist armed gangs”.
If assets linked to Russia are seized in the United States, the legislator believes there will be no “mourning” in Russia.
“Yes, it is unpleasant to lose some assets of large corporations, but we are mainly talking about the confiscation of assets of oligarchs. I don’t really imagine how the United States can influence the course of the military operation and the sentiments of Russian society,” the lawmaker said.
Nikonov further stated that this case involves “extrajudicial confiscations.”
In response to the crisis in Ukraine, US President Joe Biden announced that the US government is sending Congress a comprehensive package of actions aimed at seizing the assets of “Russian oligarchs.”
Prior to this, the US Congress’s House of Representatives authorized a plan to seize foreign assets linked to Russia.
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