YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, August 12. /TASS/. Moscow will respond in kind if Western countries seize Russian commercial vessels, President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin said.

"If these plans start to be put into practice, we will have to respond in kind," he warned.

Putin emphasized that it wasn’t just about the areas where Russian vessels could be seized, "but wherever we found it necessary and reasonable - anywhere, including in the Pacific Fleet’s area of responsibility."