Britain blasts ‘malicious’ Russia and US imposes sanctions as Ukraine war fears grow – World News
Britain and the US jointly “called out” Russia yesterday as America set new sanctions against Moscow’s “reckless” international meddling.
As fears grow of a war in Ukraine, the US issued financial transaction bans, expelled 10 more Russian officials and slammed the Kremlin for putting bounties on US soldiers in Afghanistan.
America even hit out at the Russian regime for its treatment of dissident politician Alexei Navalny, who has been poisoned with Novichok and is now in jail.
Moscow immediately hit back warning it would react to the sanctions and refused to back down on its aggressive posture towards Ukraine and the wider region.
The UK and US blasted Russia’s SVR spy agency for its “malign behaviour,” to try to get Vladimir Putin to back off.
(Image: Zuma Press/PA Images)
It came as more Russian troops amassed at Ukraine’s border, Moscow’s warships conducted live firing in the Baltic Sea and Putin’s land forces practised full-on attacks.
America stopped two of its warships USS Donald Cook and USS Roosevelt from approaching the Black Sea, to avoid direct tension with Putin’s navy.
But instead the UK and US jointly called out Russia, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken announcing new measures to attack Moscow’s inner-circle.
More crippling sanctions were slapped on Russia, banning US financial service companies from transacting in the primary market with ruble or non-ruble bonds.
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The gamble is aimed at further smashing Russia’s economy and discrediting Putin, whose domestic ratings are already suffering.
US President Joe Biden signed off a new Executive Order green-lighting new measures to sanction Russian companies with links to spy agencies.
America also noted claims Russian spies had offered terrorists in Afghanistan up to £80,000 a-time bounties for killing US troops or other members of allied forces.
Blinken said in a statement from the US embassy in London: “Today, we announced actions to hold the Russian Government to account for the SolarWinds intrusion, reports of bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, and attempts to interfere in the 2020 U.S. elections.
“These actions are intended to hold Russia to account for its reckless actions.
(Image: Getty Images)
“We will act firmly in response to Russian actions that cause harm to us or our allies and partners.
“Where possible, the United States will also seek opportunities for cooperation with Russia, with the goal of building a more stable and predictable relationship consistent with US interests.”
America also directly accused Moscow of being behind the wide-ranging 2020 SolarWinds cyber hack in which Putin’s spooks hacked into at least nine government agency systems.
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As well as the Department of Homeland Security the hack compromised the security systems of hundreds of private sector companies and embarrassed Washington.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement: “We see what Russia is doing to undermine our democracies.
“The UK and US are calling out Russia’s malicious behaviour, to enable our international partners and businesses at home to better defence and prepare themselves against this kind of action.
“The UK will continue to work with allies to call out Russia’s malign behaviour where we see it.”
