US expands Crimean sanctions to cover 8 more individuals, 1 co

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW/SIMFEROPOL, Jan 30 (PRIME) -- Washington has expanded its anti-Russian sanctions imposed over Crimea’s 2014 accession to include eight Russians and Ukrainians in the blacklist along with company Grand Service Express, the U.S. Treasury said in a statement late on Wednesday.

“Today the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated eight individuals and one entity in response to Russia’s continued aggression toward Ukraine and attempted occupation of Crimea. Seven of these individuals were also designated yesterday by the European Union,” the statement read.

“In addition to the United States, Canada designated these same individuals today as part of a coordinated action in a strong demonstration of the international community’s continued condemnation of Russia’s interference in Crimean politics.”

The individuals are acting Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozzhayev, Chairman of Crimea’s Council of Ministers Yury Gotsanyuk, Speaker of the republic’s Legislative Assembly Vladimir Nemtsev, Chairman of Sevastopol’s City Election Commission Sergei Danilenko and his Deputy Lidia Basova, the commission’s Secretary Yekaterina Pyrkova, and Yekaterina Altabayeva, member of the Russian parliament’s upper house Federation Council representing Sevastopol.

“Additionally, OFAC designated one individual and one entity providing rail services in support of Russia’s efforts to deepen the economic integration of Russia and Crimea. Today’s action demonstrates Treasury’s unwavering commitment to continue holding Russia accountable for its destabilizing activity in Ukraine,” the department said.

Grand Service Express is the company, and Alexander Ganov is its CEO.

A spokesperson for Grand Service Express, the operator for railway passenger transportation between Crimea and the continental part of the country, told PRIME that the sanctions will have no impact on the company as it operates only within Russia.

Mikhail Sheremet, deputy of the parliament’s lower house State Duma representing Crimea, said that the new sanctions only demonstrate that the U.S. is powerless.

“Nothing surprising is happening, it is the same old song, continuation of the same show. The reason for that is not only that the U.S. is suffering from a crisis of the genre, but that the political and economic crisis in the country is deepening…They are slapping sanctions that are of no real importance for us as they are powerless to do anything else,” he said.

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