Obama Threatens More Sanctions On Russia

The US has imposed sanctions against Russian officials after Crimea's referendum to secede from Ukraine and join Russia.

An executive order by Barack Obama names seven Russian government officials, including top aides to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Treasury Department is also imposing sanctions on four Ukrainians, including former President Viktor Yanukovych and two Crimea-based separatist leaders.

Mr Obama says the new sanctions aim to make it clear to the Russians "that there are consequences for their actions" in the Crimean peninsula.

Residents of Crimea voted overwhelmingly in favour of the split

He said the US is going to "stand firm" next to the people of Ukraine and vowed further action if Moscow kept "interfering" in the country's affairs. 

The measures announced on Monday marked one of the most comprehensive set of sanctions against Russia since the end of the Cold War.

However, the US president said there was still a path to resolve the crisis diplomatically.

The announcement in Washington came shortly after the European Union slapped travel bans and asset freezes on 21 people.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who was named in the US list, suggested that the measures would not affect those without assets abroad.

"Comrade Obama, and what will you do with those who have neither accounts nor property abroad? Or didn't you think of that?" he wrote on Twitter.

Putin maintains the referendum was legal

The sanctions had been widely expected after Crimea voted overwhelmingly in favour of the split in the referendum held on Sunday. 

Crimea's parliament has declared the region an independent state. 

In a phone call after the vote, Mr Obama told Mr Putin that Crimea's vote to join Russia "would never be recognised" by Washington.

And US administration officials say there is some concrete evidence that some ballots for the referendum arrived pre-marked in many cities and "there are massive anomalies in the vote".

The US, European Union and others say it violates the Ukrainian constitution and international law and took place in the strategic peninsula under duress of Russian military intervention.

Mr Putin says the vote was legal and consistent with the right of self-determination.

The Crimea crisis triggered the worst stand-off between Russia and the US since the end of the Cold War.

At home, Mr Obama has faced accusations from Republicans that he has not shown enough resolve against Mr Putin.

Mr Obama is calling on Russia to pursue a diplomatic de-escalation of the crisis, support the Ukraine government's plans for political reform.

He called on Russian troops in Crimea to return to their bases and halt advances into Ukrainian territory and military build-ups along Ukraine's borders.

The US has warned that any Russia moves on east and south Ukraine would be a grave escalation requiring additional responses.

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