US sanctions target key Putin aides

[webfact]

New US sanctions target Russian officials and companies

WASHINGTON: -- The US has imposed sanctions on seven Russian individuals and 17 companies it says are linked to President Vladimir Putin's "inner circle".

The White House said the move was a response to "Russia's continued illegal intervention in Ukraine".

Those targeted include Igor Sechin, head of oil giant Rosneft, and Sergei Chemezov of the hi-tech firm Rostec.

The announcement comes after the mayor of Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine, was shot and critically wounded.

Hennadiy Kernes was recovering after an operation to repair damage to the chest and abdomen, but his life remained in danger, his office said.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-27193628

-- BBC 2014-04-29

[WoopyDoo]

Russia will eventually respond by cutting off all oil and gas supplies to the west and that will really create a situation.

It won't bother Russia, their people are quite used to living in a country with shortages should the economy decline, and there are still plenty of countries they can trade with to keep their heads above water.

Sorry Obama.... you won't win this one. Russia is not N Korea.... It already has plenty of wealth and resources at its disposal.... China is a big buyer from Russia... You going to order China to cut its trading alliance??? Don't hold your breath.

Edited April 29, 2014 by WoopyDoo

[Pralaad]

EU is not really backing this sanctions and are very careful

Seems US is in this alone.

There are reports Russia had moved its USD reserves out of US way before and new reports Russia is planning to dump USD all together.

There are a number of US company's operating in Russia, i wonder if those would be restricted or kicked out all together costing billions.

[chuckd]

If Obama really wanted to do something against the Russians, he would line up every LNG tanker he could find to carry US LNG to Europe and cut off Putin's source of income.

Some of his 'greenie' supporters might not like it so it won't happen during the current administration.

The current sanctions are merely another joke.

[Pralaad]

If Obama really wanted to do something against the Russians, he would line up every LNG tanker he could find to carry US LNG to Europe and cut off Putin's source of income.

Some of his 'greenie' supporters might not like it so it won't happen during the current administration.

The current sanctions are merely another joke.

Gas is not Russian main income, oil is

[lovetotravel]

Russia will eventually respond by cutting off all oil and gas supplies to the west and that will really create a situation.

It won't bother Russia, their people are quite used to living in a country with shortages should the economy decline, and there are still plenty of countries they can trade with to keep their heads above water.

Sorry Obama.... you won't win this one. Russia is not N Korea.... It already has plenty of wealth and resources at its disposal.... China is a big buyer from Russia... You going to order China to cut its trading alliance??? Don't hold your breath.

Russia's currency is down, the stock markets are down, the projections for the future are not looking good due to the global slowdown. An embargo of oil/gas would be devastating to both Europe and Russia.

[lovetotravel]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26679452

Russia, already teetering on the edge of recession, has a lot to lose from any economic sanctions imposed by Europe and the US - as does Europe, experts say.

[Pralaad]

Russia will eventually respond by cutting off all oil and gas supplies to the west and that will really create a situation.

It won't bother Russia, their people are quite used to living in a country with shortages should the economy decline, and there are still plenty of countries they can trade with to keep their heads above water.

Sorry Obama.... you won't win this one. Russia is not N Korea.... It already has plenty of wealth and resources at its disposal.... China is a big buyer from Russia... You going to order China to cut its trading alliance??? Don't hold your breath.

Russia's currency is down, the stock markets are down, the projections for the future are not looking good due to the global slowdown. An embargo of oil/gas would be devastating to both Europe and Russia.

Russian currency is down about 10% hardly a big hit.

Projections by US economists? Have they considered yet the repercussions for US economy once Russia response to US sanctions?

Embargo of oil and gas? How is US planning to achieve that? Russia has already stated it will simply drop USD as a payment method, now EU on the other hand will have problems

[lovetotravel]

A very interesting article:

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/11/24/russia-where-has-all-the-money-gone/

As is this one:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/22/russia-imf-banking-idUSL5N0IC2GB20131022

[Pralaad]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26679452

Russia, already teetering on the edge of recession, has a lot to lose from any economic sanctions imposed by Europe and the US - as does Europe, experts say.

Still far away from being in trillions of dollars in debt, i am certain Russia will not be in any bigger recession than US or EU, which mind you now will also be paying for Ukrainian Gas

Russian Stocks Rise In Early Trading, Day After New Sanctions

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/russian-stocks-rise-in-early-trading-day-after-new-sanctions/499134.html

Edited April 29, 2014 by Pralaad

[Pralaad]

A very interesting article:

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/11/24/russia-where-has-all-the-money-gone/

As is this one:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/22/russia-imf-banking-idUSL5N0IC2GB20131022

So as this one

Russia to Benefit From 'Gratuitous Propaganda' of Fresh US Sanctions

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140428/189438707/OPINION-Russia-to-Benefit-From-Gratuitous-Propaganda-of-Fresh-US.html

[lovetotravel]

Russia will eventually respond by cutting off all oil and gas supplies to the west and that will really create a situation.

It won't bother Russia, their people are quite used to living in a country with shortages should the economy decline, and there are still plenty of countries they can trade with to keep their heads above water.

Sorry Obama.... you won't win this one. Russia is not N Korea.... It already has plenty of wealth and resources at its disposal.... China is a big buyer from Russia... You going to order China to cut its trading alliance??? Don't hold your breath.

Russia's currency is down, the stock markets are down, the projections for the future are not looking good due to the global slowdown. An embargo of oil/gas would be devastating to both Europe and Russia.

Russian currency is down about 10% hardly a big hit.

Projections by US economists? Have they considered yet the repercussions for US economy once Russia response to US sanctions?

Embargo of oil and gas? How is US planning to achieve that? Russia has already stated it will simply drop USD as a payment method, now EU on the other hand will have problems

10% isn't too bad. The stock market is also down some 13%. These are significant if you are a mover and shaker in the Russian biz world. Not to be taken lightly.

The world economy will take a hit, not just one particular economy. So far the sanctions are mainly financial, right? The latest ones targeting Putin's inner circle.

So far I haven't seen any gas embargos. Did I miss something?

Russia's growth predictions for this year are .5%. Anemic. With sanctions, they'll be in recession...and experiencing more capital flight. A downward spiral for sure.

[Pralaad]

Russia will eventually respond by cutting off all oil and gas supplies to the west and that will really create a situation.

It won't bother Russia, their people are quite used to living in a country with shortages should the economy decline, and there are still plenty of countries they can trade with to keep their heads above water.

Sorry Obama.... you won't win this one. Russia is not N Korea.... It already has plenty of wealth and resources at its disposal.... China is a big buyer from Russia... You going to order China to cut its trading alliance??? Don't hold your breath.

Russia's currency is down, the stock markets are down, the projections for the future are not looking good due to the global slowdown. An embargo of oil/gas would be devastating to both Europe and Russia.

Russian currency is down about 10% hardly a big hit.

Projections by US economists? Have they considered yet the repercussions for US economy once Russia response to US sanctions?

Embargo of oil and gas? How is US planning to achieve that? Russia has already stated it will simply drop USD as a payment method, now EU on the other hand will have problems

10% isn't too bad. The stock market is also down some 13%. These are significant if you are a mover and shaker in the Russian biz world. Not to be taken lightly.

The world economy will take a hit, not just one particular economy. So far the sanctions are mainly financial, right? The latest ones targeting Putin's inner circle.

So far I haven't seen any gas embargos. Did I miss something?

Russia's growth predictions for this year are .5%. Anemic. With sanctions, they'll be in recession...and experiencing more capital flight. A downward spiral for sure.

As per post earlier stock exchange is up

As for recession, and capital flight, if i had to guess, Putin will now freeze all US assets and possibly some EU assets as well.

Russia never backed down to US pressure and really unsure why some people think it will this time.

PS, you can always follow on debts here http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/russia

Edited April 29, 2014 by Pralaad

[lovetotravel]

A very interesting article:

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/11/24/russia-where-has-all-the-money-gone/

As is this one:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/22/russia-imf-banking-idUSL5N0IC2GB20131022

So as this one

Russia to Benefit From 'Gratuitous Propaganda' of Fresh US Sanctions

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140428/189438707/OPINION-Russia-to-Benefit-From-Gratuitous-Propaganda-of-Fresh-US.html

Sorry, but that's like reading what Robert Amsterdam has to say about Thaksin. 55555

An extremely biased media source. And the piece is an opinion article. One person's opinion who is paid by the government.

On 9 December 2013 President of Russia Vladimir Putin ordered RIA Novosti's liquidation and the creation of an Rossiya Segodnya (International Information Agency Russia Today).^[2]Dmitry Kiselev, an anchorman of the Russia-1 channel was appointed to be the first president of the new information agency.^[3] RIA Novosti is scheduled to be closed down in 2014; starting in March 2014, staff were informed that they had the option of transferring their contracts to Rossiya Segodnya or accepting voluntary redundancy.^[4]

[I Like Thai]

Don't you just love the Western map of Russia, in an effort to make it look like a small country. Maybe it's an effort to reassure any Geographical illiterate in the Western countries.

BBC map

More realistic map

[Jingthing]

Don't you just love the Western map of Russia, in an effort to make it look like a small country. Maybe it's an effort to reassure any Geographical illiterate in the Western countries.

BBC map

_74490629_ukraine_3regions.gif

More realistic map

ukraine-russia.jpg

What a joke. That was a BBC map of UKRAINE, not russia.

[Jingthing]

Russian currency is down about 10% hardly a big hit.

...

10 percent not a big currency hit? Sure thing, mate.

[Pralaad]

Don't you just love the Western map of Russia, in an effort to make it look like a small country. Maybe it's an effort to reassure any Geographical illiterate in the Western countries.

BBC map

_74490629_ukraine_3regions.gif

More realistic map

ukraine-russia.jpg

Just as Western ideas that Saudi are the major oil producers, i also believed that , until some research to find Russia was the biggest oil producer.

[lovetotravel]

Sorry, but that's like reading what Robert Amsterdam has to say about Thaksin. 55555

An extremely biased media source. And the piece is an opinion article. One person's opinion who is paid by the government.

On 9 December 2013 President of Russia Vladimir Putin ordered RIA Novosti's liquidation and the creation of an Rossiya Segodnya (International Information Agency Russia Today).^%5B2%5DDmitry Kiselev, an anchorman of the Russia-1 channel was appointed to be the first president of the new information agency.^%5B3%5D RIA Novosti is scheduled to be closed down in 2014; starting in March 2014, staff were informed that they had the option of transferring their contracts to Rossiya Segodnya or accepting voluntary redundancy.^%5B4%5D

US based sources are not biased but Russian based sources are?!

SO you base all your opinions on what 1 side says and it must be so:cheesy:

Come on, man. Russian media is known to be controlled. Just like here in Thailand. Impossible to argue that.

Pick any western media news source. They are all saying the same thing. And most are independent (i.e. not owned by the government). Sure, they have their biases, but if you put them all together, you'll get the true picture.

[Scott]

Some off-topic, trollish posts and replies have been deleted. Please stay on the topic. Inflammatory remarks directed at other posters will not be tolerated.

[GAZZPA]

Russia will eventually respond by cutting off all oil and gas supplies to the west and that will really create a situation.

It won't bother Russia, their people are quite used to living in a country with shortages should the economy decline, and there are still plenty of countries they can trade with to keep their heads above water.

Sorry Obama.... you won't win this one. Russia is not N Korea.... It already has plenty of wealth and resources at its disposal.... China is a big buyer from Russia... You going to order China to cut its trading alliance??? Don't hold your breath.

No chance of that happening. At present about 25% of the gas supplies for Europe come from Russia, a lot for sure but it has been falling since Russia cut supply in 2006 and 2009. Europe has been stockpiling and sourcing elsewhere as having such a big reliance on Russian gas was a risk.

In the last 18 months Norway have been a bigger provider of Gas to Europe according to the press reports,, below is also the view of the guardian newspaper in the UK.

"Europe accounts for around a third of Gazprom's total gas sales, and around half of Russia's total budget revenue comes from oil and gas. Moscow needs that source of revenue, and whatever Vladimir Putin's geo-political ambitions, most energy analysts seem to agree he will think twice about jeopardising it. Short of an actual war, the consensus appears to be, Europe's gas supplies are unlikely to be seriously threatened."

According to the experts it seems that the tables have turned since 2006 and Russia needs Europe more then Europe needs Russia. If it cuts supply Russia would instantly lose over 15% of its total GDP, economic disaster. And selling to China won't help because if China become such a big customer then they will simply push the price down.

[GAZZPA]

If Obama really wanted to do something against the Russians, he would line up every LNG tanker he could find to carry US LNG to Europe and cut off Putin's source of income.

Some of his 'greenie' supporters might not like it so it won't happen during the current administration.

The current sanctions are merely another joke.

Don't think it needs another administration. Here is an article showing that the US is planning to do some very drastic things with sanctions, especially if russia invade. This one is going to get really messy for sure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10791167/BP-and-Shell-exposed-as-US-prepares-first-warning-shot-against-Russias-oil-and-gas-industry.html

[Pralaad]

If Obama really wanted to do something against the Russians, he would line up every LNG tanker he could find to carry US LNG to Europe and cut off Putin's source of income.

Some of his 'greenie' supporters might not like it so it won't happen during the current administration.

The current sanctions are merely another joke.

Don't think it needs another administration. Here is an article showing that the US is planning to do some very drastic things with sanctions, especially if russia invade. This one is going to get really messy for sure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10791167/BP-and-Shell-exposed-as-US-prepares-first-warning-shot-against-Russias-oil-and-gas-industry.html

I am not sure if i misunderstood, but does the following sentence means US is planning to threaten Russia with nuclear war?

quote from the article "This nuclear option will be deployed only if Russia escalates from black operations in Eastern Ukraine to an outright invasion, said Alastair Newton, head of political risk at Nomura."

[chuckd]

If Obama really wanted to do something against the Russians, he would line up every LNG tanker he could find to carry US LNG to Europe and cut off Putin's source of income.

Some of his 'greenie' supporters might not like it so it won't happen during the current administration.

The current sanctions are merely another joke.

Don't think it needs another administration. Here is an article showing that the US is planning to do some very drastic things with sanctions, especially if russia invade. This one is going to get really messy for sure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10791167/BP-and-Shell-exposed-as-US-prepares-first-warning-shot-against-Russias-oil-and-gas-industry.html

I am not sure if i misunderstood, but does the following sentence means US is planning to threaten Russia with nuclear war?

quote from the article "This nuclear option will be deployed only if Russia escalates from black operations in Eastern Ukraine to an outright invasion, said Alastair Newton, head of political risk at Nomura."

You misunderstood and took it out of context. Put it all together and it reads this way...

"The G7 is for now holding back Iranian-style "stage 3" sanctions against the whole Russian banking system, mining industry, or the oil and gas nexus. This nuclear option will be deployed only if Russia escalates from black operations in Eastern Ukraine to an outright invasion, said Alastair Newton, head of political risk at Nomura.

[Pralaad]

If Obama really wanted to do something against the Russians, he would line up every LNG tanker he could find to carry US LNG to Europe and cut off Putin's source of income.

Some of his 'greenie' supporters might not like it so it won't happen during the current administration.

The current sanctions are merely another joke.

Don't think it needs another administration. Here is an article showing that the US is planning to do some very drastic things with sanctions, especially if russia invade. This one is going to get really messy for sure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10791167/BP-and-Shell-exposed-as-US-prepares-first-warning-shot-against-Russias-oil-and-gas-industry.html

I am not sure if i misunderstood, but does the following sentence means US is planning to threaten Russia with nuclear war?

quote from the article "This nuclear option will be deployed only if Russia escalates from black operations in Eastern Ukraine to an outright invasion, said Alastair Newton, head of political risk at Nomura."

You misunderstood and took it out of context. Put it all together and it reads this way...

"The G7 is for now holding back Iranian-style "stage 3" sanctions against the whole Russian banking system, mining industry, or the oil and gas nexus. This nuclear option will be deployed only if Russia escalates from black operations in Eastern Ukraine to an outright invasion, said Alastair Newton, head of political risk at Nomura.

No, i did not misunderstand, US is threatening nuclear war if Russia outright invades Ukraine.

This insane theory's have been flying around the net for a few weeks now and i did not take them seriously, but i guess now its straight from the horses mouth.

[Jingthing]

No they're not. The "nuclear option" is American SLANG for a serious measure. It does NOT literally mean a nuclear attack. DUH!!!!!

[marcusd]

We call all, of us sumize, but all of us are powerless in this game

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[Jingthing]

No they're not. The "nuclear option" is American SLANG for a serious measure. It does NOT literally mean a nuclear attack. DUH!!!!!

Please forgive my ignorance, after all only around 300 million people on this planet are Americans, the rest of us, peasant are not

For your family sake, you better hope Putin knows American slang, or you may have a few nukes heading.

Just the third most populous country on the planet. Of course Putin knows American slang. He was KGB!

[chuckd]

No they're not. The "nuclear option" is American SLANG for a serious measure. It does NOT literally mean a nuclear attack. DUH!!!!!

Please forgive my ignorance, after all only around 300 million people on this planet are Americans, the rest of us, peasant are not

For your family sake, you better hope Putin knows American slang, or you may have a few nukes heading.

You ignorance is forgiven. You might want to stick to reading RT and other blogs that do not use American slang.

I seriously doubt Putin is ready to launch due to something written in an editorial comment.

[folium]

No they're not. The "nuclear option" is American SLANG for a serious measure. It does NOT literally mean a nuclear attack. DUH!!!!!

Please forgive my ignorance, after all only around 300 million people on this planet are Americans, the rest of us, peasant are not

For your family sake, you better hope Putin knows American slang, or you may have a few nukes heading.

You ignorance is forgiven. You might want to stick to reading RT and other blogs that do not use American slang.

I seriously doubt Putin is ready to launch due to something written in an editorial comment.

Also the guy who was talking about using the " nuclear option" is a spokesman for Nomura, which last time I looked is a Japanese investment bank, rather than part of the State Dept or Pentagon.