Cold War hots up »
» UK and US hit out at Russia’s ‘reckless behaviour, meddling’ America sanctions aim to cripple Putin’s officials and finances
The UK and US are calling out Russia’s malicious behaviour
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.
It even hit out at the Russian regime for its treatment of dissident politician Alexei Navalny, who is now in jail.
Moscow immediately warned it would react, and refused to back down on its aggressive posture on Ukraine.
The UK and US blasted Russia’s SVR spy agency for its “malign behaviour,” to try to get Vladimir Putin to back off.
It came as more of President Putin’s troops amassed at Ukraine’s border, his warships conducted live firing in the Baltic Sea and land forces practised full-on attacks. US warships USS
Donald Cook and USS Roosevelt held back from approaching the Black Sea, to avoid direct tension with Putin’s navy.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced sanctions banning US financial service firms from transacting in the primary market with Russian bonds.
They aim to further smash Russia’s economy and discredit Putin, who is struggling domestically. US President Joe Biden signed off a new executive order, allowing measures to sanction Russian firms with links to spy agencies. America noted claims that Russian spies offered terrorists bounties up to £80,000 a time for killing US troops or members of allied forces.
In a statement from the
US embassy in London, Mr Blinken said: “These actions are intended to hold Russia to account for its reckless actions. We will act firmly in response to Russian actions that cause harm to us or our allies.” America also accused Moscow of being behind the SolarWinds cyberhack into its government agency systems last year.
Britain already has sanctions with Russia and yesterday 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 defend and prepare themselves against this kind of action.”
The Foreign Office last night summoned the Russian ambassador, saying: “Russia needs to cease its provocations and de-escalate tensions in line with its international obligations.”
DOMINIC RAAB FOREIGN SECRETARY