Unsuccessful with previous threats, the United States and its European allies stepped up their pressure on Russia to end its intervention in Ukraine on Monday by imposing the most comprehensive sanctions against Russian officials since the Cold War, according to The New York Times.
Acting in concert with Europe, the Obama administration froze the U.S. assets of seven Russian officials, including top advisers to President Vladimir Putin, for their support of Crimea's vote to secede from Ukraine, while similar sanctions were imposed on four Ukrainian officials for instigating Sunday's Crimean referendum, the Times reported.
Those targeted by the U.S. on Monday include:Vladislav Surkov, a Putin aide; Sergey Glazyev, a Putin adviser; Rogozin, deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation; Leonid Slutsky, a state Duma deputy; Andrei Klishas, a member of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Valentina Matviyenko, head of the Federation Council; Yelena Mizulina, a state Duma deputy.
The four Ukrainians newly targeted by the Treasury Department are: Viktor Yanukovych, who fled Ukraine for Russia and has supported the dispatch of Russian troops into Ukraine; Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of Crimea separatist group Ukrainian Choice and a close friend of Putin; Sergey Aksyonov, prime minister of Crimea's regional government and Vladimir Konstantinov, speaker of the Crimean parliament.
"If Russia continues to interfere in Ukraine, we stand ready to impose further sanctions," Obama declared at the White House shortly after the penalties were announced, according to the Times.
He noted that Vice President Joe Biden would be traveling to Europe late Monday to reassure Eastern European leaders of America's commitment to them and that he himself would be going next week on a previously planned trip to make a similar point, the Times reported. Secretary of State John Kerry also is expected in Europe in the coming days.
"We'll continue to make clear to Russia that further provocations will achieve nothing except to further isolate Russia and diminish its place in the world," Obama said, according to the Times. "The international community will continue to stand together to oppose any violations of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and continued Russian military intervention in Ukraine will only deepen Russia's diplomatic isolation and exact a greater toll on the Russian economy."
Shortly after Obama's comments, Putin recognized Crimea as a "sovereign and independent country," the Times reported.
In Washington, Obama administration officials said there was evidence that some ballots for the referendum had arrived pre-marked in many cities and there were "massive anomalies" in the vote, according to the Times.
