US expands sanction list by 34 Russia, Ukraine individuals, cos

WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (PRIME) -- The U.S. has put 34 individuals and legal entities from Russia and Ukraine on its sanction list over the Ukrainian conflict, according to information released on the official Website of the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday.

The new entities hit by the sanctions include a number of affiliates of Russian banks Sberbank and VTB Bank, as well as real estate developer Hals Development, Novikombank, and payment service Yandex.Money. The list also includes three Crimea-based wineries.

The step is considered by the authority as a measure to promote diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian conflict.

William Stevens, a spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Moscow, said that Washington doesn’t view the action as “an escalation,” but only “as a routine step to strengthen implementation of existing measures."

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