The Kremlin already considers it “inappropriate to comment on every American draft of sanctions against Russia.” This was announced on Friday, January 21, by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov.
“American legislators are exercising, who is into what much. The more such projects, absurd in their content and proposed measures, the more these ideas are devalued,” Peskov commented.
On Thursday, January 20, it became known that the representative of the American Republican Party, Jim Banks, presented a new draft of sanctions against Russia called “To impose sanctions against the Russian Federation and for other purposes.” It includes sanctions against a number of Russian officials, security officials, journalists and businessmen.
In addition, according to the publication, the bill provides for the introduction of measures against Nord Stream 2, as well as the termination of funding for dialogues on cybersecurity and strategic stability, until Russia supposedly stops attacks on their departments and until Crimea belongs to the Russian Federation.
On the same day, the US Treasury expanded the Specially Designated Nationals List (SDN) to include four more individuals. Restrictions are introduced in connection with “harmful actions of Russia abroad.” The agency blacklisted Oleg Voloshin and Taras Kozak, the deputies of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada from the Opposition Platform – For Life (OPPL) party, who owns NewsOne, 112 Ukraine and ZIK TV channels. Restrictions were also introduced against ex-deputy Volodymyr Oleinyk and former deputy head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Volodymyr Sivkovich.
On January 14, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the country’s readiness for any Western sanctions. He noted that Moscow is ready “for any development of events in the economic sphere.”
On January 12, it became known that a group of Democratic senators in the United States presented a bill on the introduction of new sanctions against Russia in case the situation around Ukraine worsens.
On January 8, The New York Times, citing US officials, reported that Washington was preparing a package of sanctions against Russia that could affect a large number of Russians. Thus, in the event of an alleged Russian “invasion” of Ukraine, the US Department of Commerce may prohibit the export of any consumer goods to the country – from mobile phones and laptops to refrigerators and washing machines – containing US-made parts.
In the Western media, articles have repeatedly appeared about the allegedly possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Russian Federation has repeatedly rejected such data. On January 10, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted that Moscow had no intentions to attack Ukraine and could not have it. He stressed that all measures for the combat training of troops are carried out within Russian territory.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
