Russian parliamentarians rap new U.S. sanctions against Russia

The outgoing U.S. government's new sanctions against Russia were like the "death throes of political corpses", a Russian parliamentarian told the RIA news agency on Friday.

Russian needs to consider the circumstances of the transition period in the U.S. and a possible reaction of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump before taking any retaliatory steps, said Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Russia's Federation Council, or the upper house of the parliament.

Meanwhile, Irina Yarovaya, deputy speaker of Russia's State Duma, the lower house of the parliament, said that the new sanctions were the demonstration of U.S. President Barack Obama's absolute political failure.

Obama has humiliated the American people with his decision since it has complicated the political transition for the new U.S. government, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on her Facebook page.

The White House on Thursday announced fresh sanctions against Russian entities and individuals over alleged hacking during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Nine Russian entities and individuals, including two Russian intelligence services, were sanctioned for their alleged interference in the U.S. election, Obama said in a statement.

In addition, the U.S. State Department on Thursday announced an ejection of 35 Russian officials from the United States, saying they acted "in a manner inconsistent with their diplomatic status." Endi