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‘Demonstrative political revenge’: Russia dismissive as US announces new round of Crimea sanctions ‘Demonstrative political revenge’: Russia dismissive as US announces new round of Crimea sanctions
(about 3 hours later)
Washington is to impose new sanctions on Russian individuals and entities operating in Crimea, US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker announced. Russian officials brushed the news aside. Russian officials shrugged off the new US sanctions against several resorts and individuals in Crimea, calling them insignificant, impotent and acts of petty politics. A Crimean official even thanked the US for free advertising.
Volker, who spoke to journalists at a conference in Belgium, said the latest round of Crimea sanctions, which is to be officially unveiled later on Thursday, will punish those involved in “Russia’s attempts to integrate” the formerly Ukrainian region. Crimea voted in a referendum in 2014 to break up from Ukraine and rejoin Russia after a US-backed armed coup in Kiev deposed Ukraine’s elected government. Speaking at a news conference in Belgium on Thursday, US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said the latest round of Crimea sanctions will punish those involved in “Russia’s attempts to integrate” the formerly Ukrainian region.
Russia’s response to the latest round of sanctions will mirror the US move in political terms and would be measured in economic sphere to ensure that the retaliation does not hurt Russia’s interests, remarked Konstantin Kosachev, the chair of the Russian Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Crimea voted in a referendum in 2014 to break away from Ukraine and rejoin Russia, after a US-backed armed coup in Kiev deposed Ukraine’s elected government.
Russia’s political response to the latest round of sanctions will mirror the US, while in economic terms will be measured to ensure that the retaliation does not hurt Russia’s interests, according to Konstantin Kosachev, the chair of the Russian Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
Fellow Senator Oleg Morozov said the US sanctions have long been a sort of “political revenge” against Russia for undermining American influence, and have little to do with what actually happens in Crimea. He believes the US imposes new sanctions as a demonstration of force.Fellow Senator Oleg Morozov said the US sanctions have long been a sort of “political revenge” against Russia for undermining American influence, and have little to do with what actually happens in Crimea. He believes the US imposes new sanctions as a demonstration of force.
“The sanctions do not change our position on either Crimea or Donbas,” he said, referring to the eastern part of Ukraine, where a popular uprising similarly opposing the people, who seized power in Kiev, led to a four-year-long military crackdown by Ukraine. “Crimea is Russia. Donbass will get a political settlement based on the Minsk Agreement,” he said. “The sanctions do not change our position on either Crimea or Donbas,” Morozov said, referring to the two eastern regions of Ukraine, where a popular uprising opposing the coup government in Kiev prompted a four-year-long military crackdown.
The Minsk Agreement is a roadmap to peace and eventual reintegration for the rebellious regions signed in the Belarus capital. Russia says Ukraine has repeatedly failed to do its part of the deal, like passing a general amnesty to rebel fighters or amending election laws to address their concerns. Ukraine has accused Russia of not encouraging rebels to let Ukrainian troops in and take control of the border – a move that is supposed to be the last leg of the plan. “Crimea is Russia. Donbass will get a political settlement based on the Minsk Agreement,” Morozov added.
The list released later by the US Treasury included three individuals and nine entities. Among those were four resorts, a Crimean utility, and the security agency of one of the two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine. The Minsk Agreement is a roadmap to peace and eventual reintegration for the rebellious regions signed in the capital of Belarus. Russia says Ukraine has repeatedly failed to live up to its part of the deal, specifically passing a general amnesty for rebel fighters and amending election laws to address their concerns. Ukraine has accused Russia of not encouraging rebels to let Ukrainian troops take control of the border – something that is supposed to happen only in the last phase of the plan.
The sanctions list released by the US Treasury includes three individuals and nine entities. Among those are four resorts, a Crimean utility, and the security agency of one of the two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine.
Having the resorts on the US sanctions list only means good advertising, said Alexey Chernyak, head of the Crimean parliamentary committee on tourism.
“Now foreign tourists will want to visit the resorts targeted by the US, since that means there must be something special about them,” he said.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov mocked the US sanctions by saying that the newly-imposed restrictions “are so insignificant, baseless and impotent in their nature” that Moscow will not even bother analyzing them. He also said that any attempts to influence Russia by imposing sanctions are “doomed to fail,” TASS reports.
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