US expands Crimea-related sanctions against Russia
The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on January 29 that it would be imposing new sanctions on eight individuals and one company in response to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and its annexation of the Crimean peninsula.
The announcement was published on the US Treasury Department’s website.
“The treasury’s action, taken in close coordination with our international allies and partners, reiterates our unwavering support for restoring free and fair democratic political processes in Crimea,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
OFAC’s sanctions list now includes Yuri Gotsanyuk, head of the Crimean occupation authorities since October 1, 2019; Mikhail Razvozhaev, acting governor of Sevastopol since July 11, 2019; Vladimir Nemtsev, head of the parliament of Sevastopol since September 14, 2019; Ekaterina Altbaeva, a Federation Council member from Sevastopol since September 14, 2019, as well as three members of the Sevastopol City Election Commission – Chairman Sergey Danilenko, Deputy Head Lidia Basova, and Secretary Ekaterina Pyrkova.
The US has also imposed sanctions on the private railway company Grand Service Express, which operates passenger trains from Russia to Crimea across the Crimean Bridge, and its CEO Alexander Ganov.
“All of property and property interests of the aforementioned persons in US jurisdiction are frozen. US citizens and American companies are banned from conducting business and carrying out any transactions with persons on the sanction list. Any foreigners who conduct business or significant transactions with entities from the sanction list could also come under sanctions,” the announcement states.
On Tuesday, the EU imposed sanctions on seven members of the Russian occupation authorities in Crimea and Sevastopol. Similar sanctions were also imposed by Canada as part of the global community’s cooperation for the purpose of condemning Russia’s interference with Ukrainian Crimea.