Moscow said Friday it would ban seven British representatives from entering Russian soil after the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Russia over the alleged poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

The UK had sanctioned seven Russian officials over Navalny's alleged poisoning.

Those sanctioned had been accused of planning or carrying out the so-called "nerve agent attack" on August 20, 2020. The sanctions freeze assets and impose travel bans on those accused.

"In response to London's unfriendly actions and on the basis of the principle of reciprocity, it was decided to impose personal sanctions against a proportionate number of British representatives who are closely involved in anti-Russian activities," the Russian foreign ministry said.

"They have been barred from entering the territory of the Russian Federation," the ministry added. 

Moscow accused London of intending to continue to pursue a "destructive course" in bilateral ties.

Western intelligence agencies have assessed with "high confidence" that FSB officers poisoned Navalny with the Novichok nerve agent last year, which Russia has long been denying.

The Russian opposition figure was flown to Germany for "treatment" but, upon his return to Russia, Moscow arrested and incarcerated him.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, speaking about the possibility of pardoning Navalny, noted that there was a certain order, including the admission of guilt.

"This is the prerogative of the person convicted and serving sentence, of commissions -  first in the prison, then in the region, then the central, and then the head of state," Peskov said on the RTVI broadcaster in response to a relevant question.

"There is a certain order prescribed by law: the convicted person submits a petition, he says that he admits guilt, what kind of guilt he admits, and further along the chain goes," Peskov added.