US hits Russia with new Crimea sanctions after Trump blames Obama for annexation By Nicole Gaouette and Donna Borak, CNN Updated 2:13 PM ET, Thu November 8, 2018 Washington (CNN)The Trump administration announced additional sanctions against Russia Thursday over its ongoing occupation of Crimea and its interference in eastern Ukraine. The Wednesday announcement comes in the lead-up to a high level meeting in Paris where President Donald Trump could cross paths with Russia President Vladimir Putin. And it comes a day after Trump appeared to blame his predecessor for Russia's 2014 invasion of Crimea. "It was President Obama that allowed it to happen," Trump insisted. Trump is also slated to meet with Putin at a meeting of G20 countries in Argentina that commences on November 30. 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. Human rights abuses The Crimea-related actions reinforce the July 25 Crimea Declaration stating that the United States does not and will not recognize Russia's purported annexation of Crimea, the Treasury said. "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, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. "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." ... https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/08/politics/treasury-russia-crimea-sanctions/index.html
Why doesn't Washington give it up with their criminal and hard handed methods. They wanted to kick the Russian navy out of Crimea to install their own - but too bad, it's not what the people in Crimea wanted. Do you blame them?
