MOSCOW, July 17 (RIA Novosti) - New sanctions against Russian companies and financial institutions will have a negative impact on US external political and economic goals, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Thursday.
The United States on Wednesday added new Russian individuals to its list of Ukraine-related sanctions and introduced a so-called Sectoral Sanctions Identification List that affects companies and institutions in defense, energy and banking sectors of the Russian economy.
Ryabkov described these actions as “arrogant and cynical,” and said they “affect US interests and hinder the attainment of US external political and economic goals.”
The diplomat added that Russia’s approach to the added sanctions against its individuals and companies would be balanced.
“There’s no hustle, our stance on this [new US sanctions] is placid and balanced,” the deputy foreign minister said following the US Treasury’s release of a document that updated Washington’s previous sanctions lists against Russia.
The July 16 Update to the Specially Designated Nationals List includes Sergei Neverov, deputy speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, Igor Shchegolev, a presidential aide, and Oleg Savelyev, minister for Crimean Affairs.
The entities on the Sectoral Sanctions Identification List include Russia’s Almaz-Antey corporation, Kalashnikov concern in the defense sector, Novatek and Rosneft in the energy sector, Vneshekonombank and Gasprombank in the banking sector, although the White House noted the sanctions on these two entities were restricted to a ban on more than 90-day loans from US financial institutions, rather than asset freezes.
The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics in eastern Ukraine have also been put on the sanctions list. In its Specially Designated Nationals List Update, the United States single-targeted Donetsk People’s Republic’s leader Alexander Boroday, who has been a vocal opponent of the government in Kiev.
The United States and European Union accuse Russia of meddling with Ukraine’s internal affairs, imposing targeted sanctions against a number of Russian officials and companies. The Western sanctions have been gradually extending since the initial introduction after Russia’s reunification with Crimea.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned the sanction “language," warning of the boomerang effect such limitations can have.
