Editor's Note: The United States on March 17 announced it had imposed new sanctions on prominent Russian officials following what it deems an "illegal" referendum held in Crimea on March 16. The follwing is a press release from the White House, which names 11 people - Russians, Ukrainians and Crimeans - who are on the blacklist.
President Obama today
issued a new Executive Order (E.O.) under the national emergency with respect
to Ukraine that finds that the actions and policies of the Russian government
with respect to Ukraine -– including through the deployment of Russian military
forces in the Crimea region of Ukraine –- undermine democratic processes and
institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty,
and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its
assets.
This new authority
expands upon E.O. 13660, which the President signed less than two weeks ago, by
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary
of State, to impose sanctions on named officials of the Russian government, any
individual or entity that operates in the Russian arms industry, and any
designated individual or entity that acts on behalf of, or that provides
material or other support to, any senior Russian government official. We
have fashioned these sanctions to impose costs on named individuals who wield
influence in the Russian government and those responsible for the deteriorating
situation in Ukraine. We stand ready to use these authorities in a direct
and targeted fashion as events warrant.
In response to the
Russian government’s actions contributing to the crisis in Ukraine, this new
E.O. lists seven Russian government officials who are being designated for
sanctions. These individuals are Vladislav Surkov, Sergey Glazyev, Leonid
Slutsky, Andrei Klishas, Valentina Matviyenko, Dmitry Rogozin, and Yelena
Mizulina.
The United States also
will seek to hold accountable individuals who use their resources or influence
to support or act on behalf of senior Russian government officials. We
recognize that the Russian leadership derives significant support from, and
takes action through, individuals who do not themselves serve in any official
capacity. Our current focus is to identify these individuals and target
their personal assets, but not companies that they may manage on behalf of the
Russian state.
In addition to the new
E.O., the Treasury Department today has imposed sanctions on four other
individuals under E.O. 13660, issued on March 6, for their actions or policies
that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial
integrity of Ukraine and in undermining the Government of Ukraine. They
are Crimea-based separatist leaders Sergey Aksyonov and Vladimir Konstantinov;
former Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Viktor Medvedchuk; and former
President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych.
Today’s actions send a
strong message to the Russian government that there are consequences for their
actions that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,
including their actions supporting the illegal referendum for Crimean separation.
The United States, together with international partners, will continue to stand
by the Ukrainian government to ensure that costs are imposed on Crimean
separatists and their Russian backers. Today’s actions also serve as
notice to Russia that unless it abides by its international obligations and
returns its military forces to their original bases and respects Ukraine’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity, the United States is prepared to take
additional steps to impose further political and economic costs.
· Vladislav Surkov: Surkov is being sanctioned for his status as a
Presidential Aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
· Sergey Glazyev: Glazyev is being sanctioned for his status as a
Presidential Adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
· Leonid Slutsky: Slutsky is being sanctioned for his status as a State
Duma deputy, where he is Chairman of the Duma Committee on CIS Affairs,
Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots.
· Andrei Klishas: Klishas is being sanctioned for his status as a
Member of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian
Federation and as Chairman of the Federation Council Committee of
Constitutional Law, Judicial, and Legal Affairs, and the Development of Civil
Society.
· Valentina Matviyenko: Matviyenko is being sanctioned for her status
as Head of the Federation Council
· Dmitry Rogozin: Rogozin is being sanctioned for his status as the
Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
· Yelena Mizulina: Mizulina is being sanctioned for her status as a
State Duma Deputy.
· Sergey Aksyonov: Aksyonov is being designated for threatening the
peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine,
and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes.
Aksyonov claims to be the Prime Minister of Crimea and has rejected the
authority of the legitimate government in Kyiv.
· Vladimir Konstantinov: Konstantinov is being designated for
threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial
integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and
processes. Konstantinov is the speaker of the Crimean parliament, which
on March 11, 2014, declared independence from Ukraine.
· Viktor Medvedchuk: Medvedchuk, leader of Ukrainian Choice, is being
designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or
territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic
institutions and processes. He is also being designated because he has
materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or
technological support to Yanukovych and because he is a leader of an entity
that has, or whose members have, engaged 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.
· Viktor Yanukovych: Former Ukrainian President Yanukovych is being
designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or
territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic
institutions and processes. After abandoning Kyiv and ultimately fleeing
to Russia, Viktor Yanukovych called upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to
send Russian troops into Ukraine.
