MH17 tribunal: The US acted swiftly to impose new sanctions on a further 15 Russian companies and 11 individuals, hours after Russia used its veto at the UN to block a draft resolution to set up an international tribunal into last July’s MH17 air disaster over Ukraine.
The new individuals targeted include Boris Rotenberg, founder and owner of the the SGM pipeline construction group and close friend of President Putin; Sergey and Alexander Yanukovych Kurchenko, sons of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych; Ukraine’s former Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Eduard Stavitsky; Bulyutin Andrew and Alexander Omelchenko, both senior executives at Kalashnikov; and Finland’ s Kai Paananen, a business associate of Gennady Timchenko, another of Putin’s inner city who is already on the Specially Designated Nationals List (SDN) himself.
The new companies that will be affected include the Russian Direct Investment Fund; the Globex, Prominvestbank, EXIAR banks; four VEB and five Rosneft subsidiaries. Sanctions have also been imposed on the Crimean ports of Sevastopol, Yevpatoria, Feodosia, Kerch and Yalta; and the Kerch Sea Ferry.
“Today’s actions underscore our commitment to put pressure on Russia in the light of its violation of international law and the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine,” said the head of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury John Smith. “Our message is clear: we will continue to act to ensure that our sanctions remain effective. “
US extends sanctions after Russia vetoes MH17 tribunal
Boris Rotenberg
Source: Gazeta