U.S. President Joe Biden announced the introduction of new sanctions against Russia in connection with Putin's recognition of the "independence" of the occupied areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
The online video broadcast of Biden’s statement was available on Apostrophe TV.
According to the head of the White House, the announced actions amounted to a “flagrant violation of international law.”
In imposing economic penalties on Russia, the United States joins European allies in responding to Russia’s deployment of troops into two pro-Russian separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. Biden called Russia’s actions “the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
Biden said a “first tranche” of U.S. sanctions against Russia would target two financial institutions, Russian sovereign debt and Russian elites and their family members. The Pentagon also announced that it was sending more fighter jets, attack helicopters and infantry to Eastern Europe.
In addition, Biden said that Washington will be ready to impose additional sanctions against Russia.
It was also reported that following Biden's statement, the VEB Bank website immediately stopped working.
Earlier Apostrophe reported that a number of Western countries, in particular members of the European Union, announced the imposition of sanctions against Russia.