HUFFINGTON POST: President Barack Obama on Monday froze the U.S. assets of seven Russian officials, including top advisers to President Vladimir Putin, for their support of Crimea’s vote to secede from Ukraine in the most comprehensive sanctions against Russia since the end of the Cold War.
The Treasury Department also is imposing sanctions on four Ukrainians — including former President Viktor Yanukovych, a former top Ukrainian presidential adviser and two Crimea-based separatist leaders — under existing authority under a previous Obama order. Senior administration officials also said they are working to identify what they called “Russian government cronies” to target the assets of those supporting the Crimea unrest, including individuals working in the arms industry…
The administration officials said Putin wasn’t sanctioned despite his support of the Crimean referendum because the U.S. doesn’t usually begin with heads of state. But the officials, speaking to reporters on a conference call on the condition they not be quoted by name, say those sanctioned are very close to Putin and that the sanctions are “designed to hit close to home.” … (more)
