MOSCOW, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russia said Friday that new U.S. sanctions on Moscow over an alleged nerve agent attack five months ago is "illegitimate."

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the issue of possible new U.S. sanctions at a meeting with the country's security council members on Friday, the Kremlin said in a statement.

"Total illegitimacy of such actions from the point of view of international law has been underlined," the statement said.

The U.S. State Department Wednesday vowed to take punitive measures against Russia over an alleged nerve agent attack on ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the British city of Salisbury in March.

Russia has denied the accusations and demanded direct participation in the investigation.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the U.S. decision on new sanctions and Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow will consider retaliation.

The Russian Security Council, a consultative body for the president, consists of key government ministers and agency heads.