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PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN has been making light of the latest US sanctions against his aides over the Ukraine crisis, and said that Moscow will hold off on reciprocal punitive measures.
“You know, both in the first case — the American sanctions — and in the second case — the introduction of a visa regime with Ukraine — I think we should for now hold off on reciprocal steps,” Putin told a meeting of his Security Council.
US President Barack Obama yesterday announced fresh punitive measures against 20 lawmakers, officials and billionaires believed to be close to Putin.
In Moscow, targeted officials derided the measures even though a new round of sanctions proved biting, with shares tumbling and ratings agencies Standard and Poor’s and Fitch changing Russia’s outlook to negative from stable.
Putin also signed off on legislation completing a legal procedure to absorb Crimea into Russia after the upper house of parliament ratified a treaty on the peninsula.
The president ordered the incorporation of the Russian-speaking peninsula to be celebrated later today with firework displays over Moscow and the Crimean cities of Simferopol and Sevastopol, which hosts the Russian Black Sea fleet, his spokesman said.
Open an account
Putin also said he would open an account with a bank targeted by the Washington sanctions, which came in response to Kremlin’s decision to send troops to Crimea and subsequent move to make it part of Russian territory.
Putin said he would task his aides with transferring his salary to Bank Rossiya — described by Washington as a “crony bank” for the Russian elite.
“No doubt we should not only protect but also render every possible assistance to the bank’s clients,” Putin added, speaking to Russian journalists.
Putin, known for his dark sense of humour, also suggested he should steer clear of the officials targeted by the US.
“You have to stay away from them, they are compromising us,” he said to laughter.
Participants of the Security Council meeting included several of the blacklisted officials, among them Ivanov and Sergei Naryshkin, speaker of the lower house of parliament, the State Duma.
Negative outlook
The Fitch ratings agency today revised its outlook for Russia to negative from stable, saying that the EU and the United States are likely to extend sanctions further.
Standard and Poor’s revised the outlook for Russia to negative from stable yesterday.
But Russia’s Alfa-Bank said sanctions would have a limited effect and “negative sentiment will be emotional in nature”.
Visa and Mastercard have stopped servicing the credit cards of customers using the banks affected by the Washington blacklists.
Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko was targeted by the sanctions shortly after selling his stake in Swiss-based commodity trading company Gunvor.
The company said Timchenko offloaded all his shares in the company he founded after “anticipating potential economic sanctions”.
Return measures
Russia yesterday said it was introducing travel bans against nine US officials.
That came in response to an announcement by Washington on Monday of financial sanctions on seven top Russian government officials and lawmakers.
“I guess this means my spring break in Siberia is off,” US Senator John McCain, one of the nine US officials on the Russian blacklist, quipped on Twitter.
“Well, Jonnie, never say never!” replied Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is on the US sanctions list.
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Poor sleeping on the streets but £50,000 spent on a wedding cake.
Markle’s dress cost more than fire-proof cladding would’ve for Grenfell, but the latter was somehow “too expensive”.
@eastsmer:
So in a country as large a Britain it’s not possible to do two things at the same time?
I know it pi**es off the Republicans among us but the fact is the vast majority of British people would want the fire proof cladding AND the dress to be bought.
@P.J. Nolan:
But two things did not happen at the same time.
@eastsmer:
That’s correct and the reason for that is what this enquiry is all about. My point is your statement is whataboutery of the finest order, one decision had nothing to do with the other.
@P.J. Nolan: “whataboutery” – tell that to the relatives
@P.J. Nolan: the man was making a valid point but of course whataboutery strikes again
@eastsmer: Ridiculous comparison and in reality the Royal family cost their country a lot less than they make for it. As for the wedding I’d imagine what the media paid to cover it more than paid for the event not to mention the influx of tourists for it.
@eastsmer: and your point is?
@eastsmer: the fire happened before the wedding there is no connection between these events, the Royal family have nothing to do with fire safety last time I looked, its the failure of a number of separate organisations. Your comment is just plain stupid.
@eastsmer: Correct. but don’t upset the flagwavers. they just love to be put in their place. it gives them purpose.
Awful just awful. Think of the fear the poor people went through.
I was in Manchester the day before the wedding. Not the slightest interest in it that i could see.
A completely valid and very pertinent comparison of the inequality in the lives of the super rich and the great mass of those who must struggle every day.
Not one perpetrator of the deaths in Grenfell tower has been arrested or charged. Not one.
@PV Nevin: Thank you PV Nevin – that is the comparison that I was trying to make.
I don’t wish to downgrade their ‘royal’ family if that is what floats their boats, however surely priorities can be shifted towards the less well off.
@eastsmer: i agree completely with your comparison. Was it not the arrogance of Kensington council, the regulators, the constructiton company and the materials company towards the poor that led to the massacre?
With regard to the monarchy, I believe the relentless propaganda of the media promotes a lie that there is not mass hatred for all the rich, including the royalty.
@PV Nevin: ___ Nothing’s changed as far as the super rich and the mere mortals are concerned. Basically, people still get what they’re given, usually by people who would never dream of living in those places.
@PV Nevin: Isn’t that why they’re having an inquiry ?
@PV Nevin: the investigation is not over yet so how can anyone be arrested or charged?
Our largest fire tragedy was a single storey nightclub.. The caravans in carrickmines were pretty far from high rise..
30 apt in 16, storey ballymun tower were destroyed with no injury..
It’s standards, vigilance and care that save lives..
And they want to build high rise in Dublin.
@Cranky: Yeah let’s not build any high rise anywhere else now because one went on fire.
@Cranky: whats that got to do with it?
Eco green energy saving insulation is actively encouraged, and you can get grants for installing it ..in reality it is flamable cladding ,
Next time you pass a building being coated in foam blocks look at the ground, pick up a piece of foam (litter will be all over the site) then do your own fire test.. you don’t need a Phd in physics..
Then wonder why we have fire regulations, and fire officers..
I hope they knock the place down and trun it into a monument to all those poor souls.
have your say