Russia warns of retaliation over US Magnitsky Bill

05/29/12: The Washington Post reports Russia is prepared to retaliate if the US Congress passes the so-called Magnitsky bill, which would freeze assets of and deny US visas to Russian officials linked to human rights abuses.  “We would very much like to avoid it,” said Yuri Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign adviser. “But if this new anti-Russian law is adopted, then of course that demands measures in response.”  The Obama Administration has been resisting the bill, introduced by Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), viewing it as too provocative, even as the State Department has acted on its own to refuse entry to a list of Russian officials associated with the Magnitsky case.