Last March, the Russian leadership considered the possible consequences of sanctions against Russia in connection with the crisis in Ukraine, Civil Initiatives Committee Chairman Alexei Kudrin said.

"As far as I know, the government bodies and the presidential administration prepared economic assessments and briefed the president," Kudrin said at a press conference on Monday held at Interfax's central office in Moscow in response to a reporter's question.

"The conversation took place in March," said Kudrin, a former finance minister.

Kudrin said he was asked for his opinion. "I provided my assessment of the consequences. The president and prime minister listened to them. I simply paraphrased them and then submitted them in written form to the president's aide," he said.

His report included three possible scenarios for developments in connection with the enactment of sanctions against Russia, Kudrin said.