MOSCOW (Reuters) - New U.S. sanctions against Russia are a destructive step which further worsens relations between Moscow and Washington, RIA news agency cited a senior Russian lawmaker as saying on Friday.

The United States added Russian officials and energy firms to a sanctions blacklist earlier on Friday, days before details of further possible penalties against Moscow are due to be released.

Leonid Slutsky, head of the lower house of parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said Russia would retaliate against the new sanctions, RIA reported.