Muristek
Washington, February 26
In a rare move, the US has slapped sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, holding them "directly responsible" for Moscow's "unprovoked and unlawful" invasion of Ukraine.
The latest US sanctions build on other sweeping actions that America and partners took earlier this week targeting the core infrastructure of the Russian financial system, including sanctions against Moscow's largest financial institutions, the US Department of the Treasury said in a statement.
The US, in coordination with allies and partners, continued to forcefully respond to Russia's "unjustified, unprovoked and premeditated" invasion of Ukraine by imposing sanctions on Putin and Lavrov, as well as other members of Russia's Security Council, according to the statement issued on Friday.
The curbs will go directly after their assets. It is rare for Treasury to designate a head of state. "Putin joins a very small group that includes despots such as (North Korea's) Kim Jong Un, (Belarus President) Alyaksandr Lukashenka, and (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad," a statement said. — PTI
China: US ship in Taiwan Strait provocative
Taipei: A US warship sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Saturday, part of what the American military calls routine activity but which China described as "provocative". The US Navy's 7th Fleet said the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson was conducting a "routine" transit through international waters. "The ship's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," 7th Fleet spokesperson Nicholas Lingo said in a statement. "The US military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows," he said. Reuters