The Russian foreign ministry accused the United States of losing its grip on reality after Washington slapped sanctions on Syrian ministers and a Russian bank.

The United States added several senior Syrian government officials, including the country's ministers for oil and finance, to its sanctions blacklist.

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"The widening American sanctions against Russia at a time when the bloody attacks in Ankara and Berlin should bring reasonable people together to fight the terrorist threat, shows that Washington has completely lost its grip on reality," the ministry said in a statement.

In the statement, the Russian foreign ministry said that the US is "trying to punish us for our support to the Syrian government against terrorism which is a threat not only to that country but to the whole world."

The ministry added that Washington's desire to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is so great that it is ready to help any destructive force. It further vowed that Moscow will not be cowed by sanctions, adding that the targeted Russian companies are functioning normally.

Syria has been involved in a civil war for five years. The war has left more than 300,000 people dead and millions more displaced. The conflict started as a pro-democracy revolt but quickly morphed into an all-out civil war after Syrian government forces unleashed a violent reprisal against dissidents.

It soon drew in global powers, with Russia and Iran supporting the government, while the United States and some regional states backing rebel fighters.

While announcing the new additions to the blacklist, the United States also imposed sanctions on Syrian airline Cham Wings, which has been accused of transporting foreign fighters to help government forces in the war.

TagsSyria, Russia