Russia says new EU sanctions are part of a 'hybrid war'

Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the European Union's 12th sanctions package against Russia was part of a "hybrid war" waged by the West. Zakharova said the EU's new sanctions would achieve nothing and said the West's sanctions had damaged the EU itself.

Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the European Union's 12th sanctions package against Russia was part of a "hybrid war" waged by the West. "Due to the endless sanctions flow against Russia, the EU has become Washington's 'useful idiot'," Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry said.

Zakharova said the United States was using Europe as a "stick" in what she cast as Washington's "anti-Russian" policy. Zakharova said the EU's new sanctions would achieve nothing and said the West's sanctions had damaged the EU itself. (Reporting Dmitry Antonov; writing by Felix Light; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)