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European Union Adds 15 Names to Ukraine Sanctions List European Union Adds 15 Names to Ukraine Sanctions List
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — A day after the Obama administration imposed new sanctions against Russia, the European Union on Tuesday added 15 names to its own list of figures close to the Kremlin, including senior military and political officials and pro-Russian militants in Ukraine, who will now be subject to asset freezes and travel bans. Moscow called the measures “unfriendly.” LONDON — A day after the Obama administration imposed new sanctions against Russia, the European Union on Tuesday added 15 names to its own list of figures close to the Kremlin, including senior military and political officials and pro-Russian militants in Ukraine, who will now be subject to asset freezes and travel bans.
The sanctions, initially designed to punish Russia for its annexation of Crimea, reflected deepening concern about instability in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists have taken over a string of city halls and other public facilities, weakening the already frayed authority of the interim government in Kiev, the capital. Moscow called the measures “unfriendly,” and the expanded sanctions seemed to have little deterrent effect on pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine. According to news reports, militants, unopposed by the police, stormed into the regional government headquarters in the city of Luhansk, adding to a string of similar recent takeovers. Militants had already taken over the city’s security headquarters a few weeks ago.
One of the most recent signs of instability came on Monday when Gennady A. Kernes, the 54-year-old mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city and only 20 miles from the Russian border, was shot in the back and nearly killed by a would-be assassin. Aides said on Tuesday that he had been flown to a hospital in Israel for treatment. “The regional leadership does not control its police force,” Stanislav Rechynsky, an aide to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov of Ukraine, was quoted as saying. “The local police did nothing.”
Men in green camouflage fatigues were shown in video footage brandishing shields and walking around the interior of the regional government offices as hundreds milled outside, Reuters said.
The Western sanctions, initially designed to punish Russia for its annexation of Crimea, reflected deepening concern about instability in eastern Ukraine, where the actions of pro-Russian separatists have underscored the increasing ineffectiveness of the interim government in Kiev, the capital.
On Monday, the United States expanded its list of targets for sanctions, concentrating on the holdings of four wealthy associates of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, and including banks, energy companies, investment accounts and other entities controlled by the four men.On Monday, the United States expanded its list of targets for sanctions, concentrating on the holdings of four wealthy associates of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, and including banks, energy companies, investment accounts and other entities controlled by the four men.
On Tuesday, the 28-nation European Union said its measures would affect officials including Dmitri N. Kozak, a deputy prime minister; and Lyudmila I. Shvetsova, a senior figure in the State Duma, the lower house of Parliament. The list also included Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov, the chief of staff of the Russian military, along with Lt. Gen. Igor Sergun, identified as the head of the Kremlin’s military intelligence agency, the G.R.U.On Tuesday, the 28-nation European Union said its measures would affect officials including Dmitri N. Kozak, a deputy prime minister; and Lyudmila I. Shvetsova, a senior figure in the State Duma, the lower house of Parliament. The list also included Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov, the chief of staff of the Russian military, along with Lt. Gen. Igor Sergun, identified as the head of the Kremlin’s military intelligence agency, the G.R.U.
Pro-Russian militants who have led the assault on government facilities in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Lugansk and Donetsk were also on the list. Pro-Russian militants who have led the assault on government facilities in Luhansk and Donetsk were also on the list.
The latest additions brought the number of people on the European list to 48.The latest additions brought the number of people on the European list to 48.
The Russian Foreign Ministry responded on Tuesday that the Europeans were merely “going along with Washington” and had done nothing to pressure Kiev to negotiate with rebellious residents of Ukraine’s Russian-speaking southern and eastern provinces.The Russian Foreign Ministry responded on Tuesday that the Europeans were merely “going along with Washington” and had done nothing to pressure Kiev to negotiate with rebellious residents of Ukraine’s Russian-speaking southern and eastern provinces.
“Our partners are going along with Washington with newer and newer unfriendly gestures toward Russia,” the ministry said in a statement on the state-run news agency RIA Novosti. The statement said that the European measures revealed a “full misunderstanding of the domestic political situation” in Ukraine.“Our partners are going along with Washington with newer and newer unfriendly gestures toward Russia,” the ministry said in a statement on the state-run news agency RIA Novosti. The statement said that the European measures revealed a “full misunderstanding of the domestic political situation” in Ukraine.
The European Union is Russia’s biggest trading partner, but it also depends on Russia for significant oil and gas supplies, making some of its member states, most significantly Germany, cautious about using its economic clout against Moscow.The European Union is Russia’s biggest trading partner, but it also depends on Russia for significant oil and gas supplies, making some of its member states, most significantly Germany, cautious about using its economic clout against Moscow.
The bloc has threatened tougher sanctions if the crisis in eastern Ukraine worsens. Measures directly targeting Russia’s energy and financial sectors are not yet under consideration.The bloc has threatened tougher sanctions if the crisis in eastern Ukraine worsens. Measures directly targeting Russia’s energy and financial sectors are not yet under consideration.
Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops close to the border with Ukraine, ostensibly on training maneuvers, raising fears among Ukrainians that Russian troops are in position to move swiftly across the border — an act that the interim government in Kiev says would be treated as an invasion. Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops close to Ukraine, ostensibly on training maneuvers, raising fears among Ukrainians that Russian troops are in position to move swiftly across the border — an act that the interim government in Kiev says would be treated as an invasion.
In addition to the entities affected by the American measures, the Obama administration on Monday imposed sanctions on seven prominent Russians, including two longtime Putin advisers: Igor I. Sechin, the president of the state-owned oil company Rosneft; and Sergei V. Chemezov, the director general of Rostec, the state corporation overseeing high-technology industries.In addition to the entities affected by the American measures, the Obama administration on Monday imposed sanctions on seven prominent Russians, including two longtime Putin advisers: Igor I. Sechin, the president of the state-owned oil company Rosneft; and Sergei V. Chemezov, the director general of Rostec, the state corporation overseeing high-technology industries.
The American measures were announced on a day of ominous developments in eastern Ukraine, where, in addition to the shooting of the mayor of Kharkiv, masked antigovernment militants seized control of the city of Konstantinovka, further exposing the limits of Kiev’s control. The American measures were announced on a day of ominous developments in eastern Ukraine, where masked antigovernment militants seized control of the city of Konstantinovka. Also on Monday, Gennady A. Kernes, the 54-year-old mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city and only 20 miles from the Russian border, was shot in the back and nearly killed by a would-be assassin.
Late Monday evening, doctors transferred Mr. Kernes, the mayor, to a hospital in Israel after he underwent a two-hour operation to repair damage to his lungs, an aide said. The police said that the bullet that struck Mr. Kernes had been fired from a sniper rifle and had missed his heart by a few millimeters. Late Monday evening, doctors transferred Mr. Kernes to a hospital in Israel after he underwent a two-hour operation to repair damage to his lungs, an aide said. The police said that the bullet that struck Mr. Kernes had been fired from a sniper rifle and had missed his heart by a few millimeters.
While his injuries were initially described as life-threatening, the fact that he was well enough to be flown to Israel showed that his condition had improved significantly, the aide said.While his injuries were initially described as life-threatening, the fact that he was well enough to be flown to Israel showed that his condition had improved significantly, the aide said.
Elisha Hospital, where Mr. Kernes is being treated, issued a statement saying that the mayor “underwent diagnostic tests that showed the operations were successful.”Elisha Hospital, where Mr. Kernes is being treated, issued a statement saying that the mayor “underwent diagnostic tests that showed the operations were successful.”
“He is under observation by the best doctors and it appears that there is no need for further surgical intervention,” the hospital said in the statement, citing patient privacy in declining to provide additional details.“He is under observation by the best doctors and it appears that there is no need for further surgical intervention,” the hospital said in the statement, citing patient privacy in declining to provide additional details.
Mr. Kernes, a powerful figure in Kharkiv politics, had been increasingly seen as a guarantor of stability as pro-Russian forces gained strength elsewhere in the east.Mr. Kernes, a powerful figure in Kharkiv politics, had been increasingly seen as a guarantor of stability as pro-Russian forces gained strength elsewhere in the east.
On Tuesday morning there were no obvious signs of a response to the attack from either pro-Russian or pro-Ukrainian supporters in Kharkiv.On Tuesday morning there were no obvious signs of a response to the attack from either pro-Russian or pro-Ukrainian supporters in Kharkiv.
In London on Tuesday, the British home secretary, Theresa May, and Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. of the United States convened a meeting of government officials, regulators and financial experts to promote the recovery of Ukrainian state assets misappropriated in previous years when the deposed President Viktor F. Yanukovych was in power In London on Tuesday, the British home secretary, Theresa May, and Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. of the United States convened a meeting of government officials, regulators and financial experts to promote the recovery of Ukrainian state assets misappropriated when the deposed President Viktor F. Yanukovych was in power
Ms. May said the so-called Ukraine Forum on Asset Recovery would “provide practical leadership and assistance to the Ukrainian government as they identify and recover assets looted under the Yanukovych regime and introduce political and economic reform.” Ms. May said the group, the Ukraine Forum on Asset Recovery, would “provide practical leadership and assistance to the Ukrainian government as they identify and recover assets looted under the Yanukovych regime and introduce political and economic reform.”
“The message is clear — we are making it harder than ever for corrupt regimes or individuals around the world to move, hide and profit from the proceeds of their crime,” she said in a statement.“The message is clear — we are making it harder than ever for corrupt regimes or individuals around the world to move, hide and profit from the proceeds of their crime,” she said in a statement.