MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Friday that new U.S. sanctions against it were designed to squeeze Russia out of the global arms market.

“This is unfair competition in its purest form,” a Rosoboronexport spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday.

The United States imposed sanctions on Friday against Russian businessmen, companies and government officials, striking at associates of President Vladimir Putin in one of Washington’s most aggressive moves to punish Moscow for a range of activities, including alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.