US, Canada Impose New Crimea-Related Sanctions Against Russia

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)- The United States has imposed sanctions on the acting governor of Sevastopol Milhail Razvozhaev and seven other individuals over Russia's alleged actions in Crimea, the Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Today, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated eight individuals and one entity in response to Russia’s continued aggression toward Ukraine and attempted occupation of Crimea", the Treasury said.

Prime Minister or the Republic of Crimea Yuri Gotsanyuk and Chairman of the Legislative Assembly Vladimir Nemtsev are among the sanctioned individuals.

The Treasury also targeted chairman of Sevastopol Election Committee Sergei Danilenko, his deputy Lidia Basova, the Committee's Secretary Ekaterina Pyrkova and the member of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation, representing Sevastopol, Ekaterina Altabaeva.

Canada designated the same individuals along with the US, while the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions against seven of the individuals on Tuesday, the Treasury said.

The US also designated the Moscow-based Grand Service Express company, which provides railroad transportation between mainland Russia and Crimea, along with its CEO Alexander Ganov.

"The coordinated US, EU, and Canadian designations limit the ability of these illegitimate officials to do business internationally and highlights the strength of the transatlantic alliance in standing up to Russia’s continued aggression," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

The US and EU have introduced several rounds of sanctions on Russia since 2014, when Crimea held a referendum in which 97 percent of voters supported reunification with Russia.

Western countries and Kiev have not recognized the legitimacy of the referendum.

Moscow has denied any interference in Ukraine's affairs and insisted that the referendum was carried out in line with international law.