US introduces sanctions vs 6 Russian deputies from Crimea

WASHINGON, Nov 15 (PRIME) -- The U.S. has introduced sanctions against six deputies of the Russian State Duma, the parliament’s lower house, which represented Crimea, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said in a statement late on Monday.

Sanctions were introduced against Ruslan Balbek, Konstantin Bakharev, Andrei Kozenko, Svetlana Savchenko, Pavel Shrepov, and Dmitry Belik “for being responsible for or complicit in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine and actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the department said.

“Today’s action was closely coordinated with the E.U., underscoring the strength of the U.S.-E.U. partnership in maintaining pressure on Russia until it respects the security and sovereignty of Ukraine. Treasury will continue to sanction those individuals involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its destabilizing activities in Ukraine,” the authority said citing John Smith, acting director of the Office for Foreign Assets Control.

“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of Belik, Kozenko, Bakharev, Savchenko, Balbek, and Shperov subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.”

Last week, the E.U. introduced similar sanctions against the six deputies.

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