Biden imposes new sanctions on Russia for annexing Ukrainian regions

TIL Desk/World/Washington/ US President Joe Biden on Friday announced a new round of sanctions in response to Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian territories, targeting government and military officials and their family members, saying that Moscow’s action to annex Ukrainian territory has “no legitimacy”.

The treasury department, commerce and state each announced separate sanctions intended to target decision-makers in Moscow, allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin and entities that support the military-industrial complex in Russia.

“In response to Russia’s phoney claims of annexation, the United States, together with our Allies and partners, are announcing new sanctions today,” Biden said. These sanctions will impose costs on individuals and entities — inside and outside of Russia — that provide political or economic support to illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory, he said.

The department of state on Friday imposed visa restrictions on Ochur-Suge Mongush, for a gross violation of human rights perpetrated against a Ukrainian prisoner of war and 910 individuals, including members of the Russian Federation military, Belarusian military officials, and Russia’s proxies violating Ukraine’s sovereignty.