New US sanctions to deepen crisis in relations, Russian envoy says

WASHINGTON, December 11. /TASS/. Washington’s sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Chechnya’s head Ramzan Kadyrov constitute an unfriendly step that will deepen the crisis in relations between Russia and the US, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov told reporters. "The actions of the US administration are just another unfriendly and detrimental move against Russia which will deepen the crisis in bilateral relations. The allegations that Russian officials are responsible for human rights violations are groundless and beneath criticism," he said, according to the embassy’s Facebook page. "With these destructive measures the administration is seemingly trying to distract public attention from comprehensive systemic problems inside the United States. The sphere of human rights is one of them. Russia has been tirelessly calling upon refusal of any illegitimate unilateral sanctions and returning to normal inter-state relations. It means engaging in equal and respectful dialogue. We received no answers to our proposals," Antonov added. On Thursday, the US Department of the Treasury announced new sanctions based on the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, particularly targeting Kadyrov and several other individuals and companies. Chechnya’s Deputy Prime Minister Vakhit Usmayev, Kadyrov’s advisor Daniil Martynov and former envoy for he Middle East and North Africa Ziyad Sabsabi are among the blacklisted individuals. Sanctions were also imposed on FC Akhmat Grozny and several other companies that, according to the US authorities, are "owned or controlled" by the Chechen leadership. Read more