MOSCOW — Moscow has strongly criticized US legislation that calls for sanctions against Russian officials accused of human rights abuses and warned that it will respond in kind. A leading anticorruption crusader, however, hailed the bill as ‘‘pro-Russian.’’

The legislation is primarily intended to end Cold War-era trade restrictions and was hailed by US businesses worried about falling behind in the race to win shares of Russia’s more open market, but its human rights component has outraged President Vladimir Putin’s government.