The U.S. Treasury Department announced Thursday it was implementing new sanctions on several Russian and Ukrainian entities and individuals connected to Russia's illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea in 2014.
CNN:
The Treasury Department announced sanctions against two individuals and one entity for "serious human rights abuses" and sanctions on another eight entities and one individual responsible for advancing Russian interests in Crimea.
One of these eight entities is also being designated for being owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, Bank Rossiya and Yuri Valentinovich Kovalchuk, who was previously sanctioned.
CNBC:
"The United States is leveraging new authorities to target Russian actors for serious human rights abuses in parts of Ukraine that the United States government has determined are forcibly occupied or otherwise controlled by the Russian government, and other reprehensible acts in furtherance of the Kremlin's malign agenda," said Sigal Mandelker, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Treasury Department in a statement.
(...)
The individuals sanctioned include Andriy Volodymyrovych Sushko, a Russian FSB officer suspected of kidnapping and torturing a Crimean independence activist; Aleksandr Basov, the Deputy Minister of State Security in the Crimean region that Russia has designated the "Luhansk People's Republic;" and Vladimir Nikolaevich Zaritsky, a Russian former military commander who founded UKIP, a limited liability company that was involved in the Russian takeover of three private hotels in Crimea.
The entities sanctioned include several LLCs that the U.S. says were used to illegally nationalize, then privatize resorts and hotels in Crimea following the Russian annexation. Four resorts and hotels in the seaside city of Yalta, in Crimea, were also sanctioned: Sanatorium Miskhor; Sanatorium Dyulber; Sanatorium AY-Petri and the Mriya Resort and Spa. Also sanctioned on Thursday was the Ministry of State Security of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic.
CNN:
"Treasury remains committed to targeting Russian-backed entities that seek to profit from Russia's illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea," Mandelker said. "Our sanctions are a clear reminder that efforts seeking to normalize investment and economic relationships with those operating in Crimea will not be tolerated and are subject to US and EU sanctions authorities."
The announcement comes just days before Trump and Vladimir Putin likely connect in Paris and a day after the president notably blamed President Obama – and not Putin – for the annexation of Crimea.
Asked about a possible upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump referred to his July summit in Helsinki with the Russian leader.
"I had a very, very good meeting -- a very, very good meeting with President Putin, and a lot was discussed about security, about Syria, about Ukraine, about the fact that President Obama allowed a very large part of Ukraine to be taken," Trump said.
When the reporter pointed out that "was President Putin who annexed Crimea, sir," Trump insisted on his version of history.
"That was President Obama's regime. That was during President Obama. Right?" Trump said. "That was not during me. No, that was President Obama."
"But it was President Putin who did the annexation," the reporter said.
"No, no. It was President Obama that allowed it to happen," Trump said. "It had nothing to do with me."
US hits Russia with new Crimea sanctions after Trump blames Obama for annexation (CNN)
Treasury Department announces new sanctions for Russian activities in Crimea (CNBC)