MOSCOW (REUTERS) — Russia said on Thursday that it would provide active support to Cuba despite attempts by the United States to intimidate and tighten the “sanctions noose” around the Communist-run island republic.

The US announced murder charges against former President Raul Castro on Wednesday, a major escalation in Washington’s campaign against Cuba, where Castro’s communists have been in charge since his late brother Fidel Castro led a revolution in 1959.

“We will continue to provide the most active support to the fraternal Cuban people during this extremely difficult period,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters.

“We reaffirm our full solidarity with Cuba and strongly condemn any attempts at gross interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, intimidation, and the use of illegal unilateral restrictive measures, threats and blackmail.”

Zakharova gave no details of the support that Russia would provide but said the US was showing its “intolerance towards any form of dissent and a cynical embodiment of the revived Monroe Doctrine.”

Meanwhile, The US charges against the 94-year-old former president — announced Wednesday — fueled speculation that US President Donald Trump will try to topple the communist state.

“The US side should stop brandishing the sanctions stick and the judicial stick against Cuba and stop threatening force at every turn,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a press briefing Thursday, when asked about the US charges.

“China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and national dignity and opposes external interference,” Guo said.

The charges against Castro stem from the downing of two civilian planes manned by anti-Castro pilots in 1996, which resulted in four deaths.

Raul Castro was also charged with conspiracy to kill Americans and destruction of aircraft.

Trump hailed his indictment.