The Russian Church considers the Kremlin list as direct pressure of the USA on Russian authorities and electorate

The so-called Kremlin list prepared by the U.S. Treasury Department is direct pressure on acting Russian authorities and electorate, head of the Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk believes. 

"Surely, it is direct interference in the electoral process. (...) Surely, it is direct pressure on Russian authorities and wish to undermine the authorities," the hierarch said Metropolitan Hilarion said on the Church and the World program on Rossiya-24 (VGTRK) television.

However, the metropolitan believes such actions would not inflict any harm on Russia, on acting authorities, or on electoral process. 

"People will go to elections, and each of them will make the choice as their conscience tells them," he stressed. 

As to the possibility of responding measures from Russia, the hierarch expressed the following opinion: "I think that the most correct reaction will be to ignore this step of the USA, though the state authorities will make their decision basing on Russia’s state interests."