Site last updated: Friday, October 24, 2025

Log In

Reset Password
MENU
Butler County's great daily newspaper

Obama imposes sanctions against Russian officials

Action follows vote in Crimea

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama today imposed sanctions against Russian officials, including advisers to President Vladimir Putin, for their support of a Crimea’s vote to secede from Ukraine.

The White House also announced that it is working to identify and target the assets of other individuals who aren’t government officials but are supporting them. The Treasury Department also is imposing sanctions on four Ukrainians, including former President Viktor Yanukovych, a former top Ukrainian presidential adviser and two Crimea-based separatist leaders.

“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 White House said in a statement.

“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,” the statement said.

The U.S. announcement came shortly after the European Union announced travel bans and asset freezes on 21 people they have linked to the unrest in Crimea.

The sanctions were expected after residents in Crimea voted overwhelmingly Sunday in favor of the split. Crimea’s parliament today declared the region an independent state.

The United States, European Union and others say the action violates the Ukrainian constitution and international law and took place in the strategic peninsula under duress of Russian military intervention. Putin maintained that the vote was legal and consistent with the right of self-determination, according to the Kremlin.

Obama’s order targets:

n Vladislav Surkov, a Putin aide

n Sergey Glazyev, a Putin adviser

n Leonid Slutsky, a state Duma deputy

n Andrei Klishas, member of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

n Valentina Matviyenko, head of the Federation Council

n Dmitry Rogozin, deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation.

n Yelena Mizulina, a state Duma deputy

The sanctions were expected after residents in Crimea voted overwhelmingly Sunday in favor of the split.

Obama told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday that Crimea’s vote “would never be recognized” by the United States, as he and other top U.S. officials warned Moscow against making further military moves toward southern and eastern Ukraine.

The two leaders spoke after residents in Crimea voted overwhelmingly in favor of the split in a referendum that the United States, European Union and others say violates the Ukrainian constitution and international law and took place in the strategic peninsula under duress of Russian military intervention. Putin maintained that the vote was legal and consistent with the right of self-determination, according to the Kremlin.

Crimea’s parliament today declared the region an independent state and said that all Ukrainian state property on the territory of the Black Sea peninsula will be nationalized.

The Crimean Peninsula is taking steps to integrate its financial system with Russia’s — including adopting the ruble currency — after the region overwhelmingly voted in favor of seceding and seeking to join Russia.

Russia will send Crimea 1 billion rubles ($30 million) in the coming days to help it stabilize its financial situation, an official said. A separate decree named the Russian ruble as an official currency, though Crimea will continue using the Ukrainian hryvnia as well through 2015.

Even before results of the referendum were announced, the White House denounced the vote, saying “no decisions should be made about the future of Ukraine without the Ukrainian government.”

With no military response envisioned, and with U.S. and EU sanctions apparently foregone conclusions, the Obama administration slightly shifted its focus to keeping Russia from encroachment into Ukraine beyond Crimea, where it has a large naval base.

More in National News

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

* indicates required
TODAY'S PHOTOS