The Russian authorities have decided to impose a ban on entering the country on a number of Canadian public figures in response to the Canadian government's new anti-Russian sanctions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We have repeatedly warned the Canadian authorities against attempts to put the pressure of sanctions on Russia, warned that such actions would not be tolerated. Most regrettably, Ottawa once again imposed restrictions on our citizens under the pretence of the recently passed anti-Russian 'Magnitsky Act,'" Zakharova said in a commentary on Friday.

"We have to give a tit-for-tat response. A decision to ban a number of Canadian public figures from entering the Russian Federation was adopted on the basis of the reciprocity principle. The list is long, it includes dozens of names. Those are Russophobic Canadian citizens, who have been systematically working on destruction of bilateral relations," she said.

"The question is, is that what Ottawa sought for? Do they really think they can 'pressure' Russia? Or are they just pandering to their political ambitions?" Zakharova said.

"If Canadian partners enjoy playing the game of sanctions, we will be forced to respond. Even if we certainly prefer the path of constructive cooperation on issues important for both countries' nations. We expect that the Canadian political circles would have an epiphany and they would forgo the destructive policy leading to further tension in bilateral relations," she said.

The Canadian authorities have made a decision to impose sanctions against 52 foreign citizens, including 30 Russians, the Canadian government said in a statement on Friday.

"The sanctions target individuals who are, in the opinion of the Government of Canada, responsible for, or complicit in, gross violations of internationally recognized human rights or acts of significant corruption," the statement said.

All assets of persons subjected to sanctions are frozen and those individuals are banned from entering Canada, it said.

Sanctions against all 52 people, including 30 Russians, were imposed in accordance with the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act adopted by the Canadian parliament recently, the statement said.

"Effective immediately, Canada is imposing sanctions against 30 individuals" linked to the case of Hermitage Capital fund employee Sergei Magnitsky's death in a detention facility, it said.

Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin, former Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Anichin, Alexei Droganov, Alexandra Gaus, and others are among individuals subjected to sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier that the so-called Magnitsky Act, envisaging a number of anti-Russian sanctions, is based on political games and ordinary crime.

"All of this is very unconstructive political games over things, which are fundamentally actually not the ones with which it is necessary to work in such a manner and which should be so overblown," Putin said at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, commenting on Canada's joining the infamous act.