Before It’s NewsPresident Obama is being laughed at by Russia for his sanctions he placed on Russia and Ukraine officials. What’s more is that the officials that Obama placed sanctions against don’t seem to have any assetts in America’s banking system. The Sanctions are a joke, just like Obama and his administration.
These sanctions are noting but another stage show for the American people. This is another Hoax by the Obama administration.
Russia’s deputy prime minister laughed off President Obama’s sanction against him today asking “Comrade @BarackObama” if “some prankster” came up with the list. Russia’s stock market rallies on the news of how pathetic Obama’s sanctions really are.
The Obama administration hit 11 Russian and Ukrainian officials with sanctions today as punishment for Russia’s support of Crimea’s referendum. Among them: aides to President Vladimir Putin, a top government official, senior lawmakers, Crimean officials, the ousted president of Ukraine, and a Ukrainian politician and businessman allegedly tied to violence against protesters in Kiev.
It remains to be seen whether the sanctions will dissuade Russia from annexing Crimea, but one an early clue that they will not be effective came just hours later when President Putin signed a decree recognizing Crimea as an independent state, perhaps an early step towards annexation.
U.S. official have warned of additional sanctions for Russian action, hoping it will deter Russia from any further aggression towards Ukraine, but it didn’t appear to upset the often outspoken Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.
Top government official
Dmitry Rogozin – An outspoken, hawkish Deputy Prime Minister, he’s known to have a close friendship with Hollywood actor Steven Seagal. As a member of Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev’s government, Rogozin is responsible for the armed forces and arms industry.
Russian lawmakers
Elena Mizulina – A senior lawmaker, she is considered one of the Kremlin’s morality enforcers in the parliament. She is perhaps best known as the co-author of last year’s homosexual “propaganda” law which sparked outrage overseas. She also proposed a measure to give Ukrainians Russian passports.
Leonid Slutsky – A lawmaker in the lower house of Parliament. He is the chair of the Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots. He was one of the Russian observers attending Sunday’s referendum in Crimea.
Andrei Klishas – A member of the upper house of Parliament, the Federation Council, who proposed retaliatory action in case of Western sanctions on Russia. He is chairman of the Federation Council Committee of Constitutional Law, Judicial, and Legal Affairs, and the Development of Civil Society.
Valentina Matviyenko – The head of the Federation Council, she is the most senior lawmaker on the sanctions list.
Crimean officials
Sergey Aksyonov – Once an obscure pro-Russian politician in Crimea, he has now been declared the prime minister.
Vladimir Konstantinov – The newly declared speaker of Crimea’s parliament.
Ukrainian officials
Viktor Medvedchuk – A pro-Russian politician, he is being sanctioned for having “materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support” to impeached President Viktor Yanukovich. Ukraine’s opposition has accused him of orchestrating or aiding a crackdown on protesters and opposition.
Viktor Yanukovich – The ousted president of Ukraine. He was elected in 2010 but was chased from office by protests last month.
As to what is my own opinion on today’s U.S.-E.U. sanctions announcement …. this is political theater. Putting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin on the list is a stretch …. and a part of me feels that he was put on because he spoke English and knew what buttons to press to cause a reaction from the West. Yelena Mizulina is on the list because as a Russian parliamentarian she has authored conservative legislation including a ban on the spread of “homosexual propaganda” among minors, which has upset Western governments. Andrei Klishas …. another Russian parliamentarian …. is on the list because he stated that a law was being drafted to allow the confiscation of property, assets and accounts of European or U.S. companies if sanctions were imposed …. his connection to Crimea is minimal.