The US Treasury Department today announced the addition of a number of companies to their list of sanctions related to the Crimean Peninsula, this time going after companies involved in the construction of the Kerch Strait bridge, which links the peninsula to Russia.
This included multiple Russian bridge-building companies, and several subsidiaries of OAO Gazprom. 11 Crimean officials were also sanctioned over the construction, which intends to build a $3.2 billion bridge spanning 19km.
The Treasury Department insisted this showed they continue “condemning Russia’s violation of international law, and we will continue to sanction those who threaten Ukraine’s peace.” The US objects to Crimea’s 2014 secession from Ukraine and its accession into the Russian Federation.
At the same time, the bridge plan was initially made between Russian and Ukrainian officials way back in 2010. Ukraine only withdrew from the bridge construction deal in late 2014, after Crimea had already seceded, and primarily with an eye toward doing economic harm to the peninsula. Russian officials have not commented on the new sanctions, but it is doubtful the sanctions will have any impact on the plan.
I think you missed the best bit:
“Russia continues to provoke instability in eastern Ukraine despite its Minsk commitments,” Acting OFAC Director John E. Smith stated.
As far as I’m aware, it’s the Ukrainian government with the “support” of the United States government that is doing most to provoke instability by shelling Donetsk and Luhansk and failing to honour its Minsk commitments. I thought the USG officials weren’t supposed to lie to the American people. Obviously I’m wrong.
It gets weirder and weirder in Washington. Sanctions for building a bridge, even a bridge with military aspects? Get real Mr. President. The Crimea is not going to be returned to Ukraine no matter what you throw at Putin. In fact your act will only make him more popular in Russia. Expect a “thank you Obama” note from Putin.
Won’t be long before Trump is elected Putin likes him at first it starts off friendly Putin does something to offend Trump he responds by arming Ukraine with lethal munitions state of the art advanced weapons systems and helps level the playing field mass casualties pile up on both sides meanwhile the conflict is used as an excuse to upgrade the nuclear arsenal NATO controls Europe starts modernizing a new nuclear weapon more compact harder to track and more important harder to shoot down…Russia realizes they’ll be annihilated diplomacy takes hold a new nuclear treaty is instated to destroy and stop the development of the mini nuclear warheads that where developed Russia keeps Crimea but abandons the border with Ukraine…USA
America polices and sanctions bridge-builders all over the world. That’s exceptionalism!
The good old US, sticking its filthy nose in every body else’s business.