“Millions of Russians would like to get on it”: reaction to the US “Kremlin list”

The publication of the US “Kremlin report” caused a strong reaction from Russian officials and politicians at various levels, especially those who themselves were on the lists. The European Union was not silent either.

Фото: Depositphotos

The list includes all the leaders of the presidential administration, his assistants and advisers, all members of the government, heads of state-owned companies and businessmen, whose fortune, according to the magazine Forbes, is at least $1 billion. Total - 210 people.

Inclusion on the list does not automatically mean the imposition of sanctions, American officials emphasized. But already now there are threats of a reputational nature, and in the future, presence in the “Kremlin report” may also threaten sanctions measures. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin assured US senators that the “Kremlin list” published on Monday, which includes Russian politicians and entrepreneurs, will become the basis for new anti-Russian sanctions from Washington, writes TASS. how сообщает The Hill, he made a statement on Tuesday at a hearing in the Senate Committee on Banks, Housing and Urban Issues.

The entire list is available for this. link

The reaction from politicians and businessmen is clear: there is nothing to worry about. So, Irina Viner-Usmanova (the wife of businessman Alisher Usmanov, who was included in the list), for example, said: “He [Usmanov] doesn’t worry about it at all, he continues to work.”

And the speaker of the Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, believes that millions of Russians would like to be included in the “Kremlin report”: Those on the US Treasury list were there precisely because they effectively act in the interests of Russia. In a sense, this list can be called “patriotic”. I’m sure millions of Russians would want to include themselves in it,” RIA Novosti quotes Matvienko as saying.

Below is the reaction of the persons involved in the list, as well as journalists and politicians who are not included in it.

EU official:

“We take note of the report released yesterday by the US Treasury Department. I suggest you refer to this report, which clearly states that this is not a sanctions list. At the same time, I would like to note that all EU restrictive measures are subject to constant analysis. Any decisions to extend, amend or lift sanctions can be taken by the EU Council with a unanimous vote of all 28 members of the European Union.”

President of Russia, Vladimir Putin:

“For each of the people (on the list. - RBC) and structures are ordinary citizens of the country, labor collectives, entire industries. That is, in fact, all of us were put on some list.

We were waiting for this list, and I won’t hide it - we were ready to take retaliatory steps, serious ones at that, that would bring our relations to zero. We will refrain from taking these steps for now.

But we will carefully watch how the situation develops in practice. Because there is some kind of secret list, in this list there are, they say, some other names with some kind of asterisks. We need to deal with this."

Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the President of Russia (in the list):

“If you read the text, the title of this document, this is all being done in accordance with the law to counter enemies of the United States. Therefore, de facto, this entire group of people is called enemies of the United States. This is an approach, this is a statement...

This whole publication is connected with the fact that it is still difficult to understand it, so a fair amount of work remains to be done to understand: “a” - some kind of motivation, “b” - the reason for inclusion or non-inclusion. There are still more questions than answers.”

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (listed):

“The significance of today’s US report is approaching zero. Why? Because it will essentially not change anything in the development strategy of our country. Just as other measures and sanctions have never changed throughout our history. The only thing that can be said for sure is that the publication of such lists further poisons relations between Russia and the United States. Of course, we will monitor the next steps of the American side, and if new measures appear, a response from Russia will follow,” Medvedev wrote in Facebook.

Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich (on the list):

“As a member of the government, I had to be on this list, the entire government is on it, there is nothing surprising in this. This is a list of people who are obviously leading in Russian politics and business. This is not a sanctions list, it is a list that is used for further decisions and assessments. We will monitor the situation and the need to respond. There are no reasons for action yet. It's like a book called "Who's Who in Russian Politics."

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin (on the list):

“The entire political and economic elite of the country was carefully included in the Kremlin report. It would be very strange if the mayor of the capital were not included. In the West, Russia was not loved at all times, but they could not come up with such lists even in the worst periods of history. Such measures do not split, but unite. They lead to results opposite to what the author was aiming for,” Sobyanin wrote in In contact with.

Below is the reaction of persons listed in the version Air Force

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin (in the list):

“In the part of the sanctions that relate to restrictions on the export of Russian weapons, I can say the following: the Americans remain true to themselves. Everywhere and always they use the “two-step” principle, first they scare buyers of our weapons, then they force them to buy only American weapons. That is, they want to eat fish and sit in a chair.”

Advisor to the President for Culture Vladimir Tolstoy (in the list):

“I don’t really understand what this could mean for me - the economic side doesn’t bother me because I don’t have any assets outside of Russia. A person who lives on a salary is of little concern about this. This causes me nothing but bewilderment. Although, why be surprised if the entire leadership of the administration ended up on this list.”

Presidential Adviser on Internet Development Issues Herman Klimenko (in the list):

“As for me, I’m terrified! But seriously, two years ago, when I started working on import substitution, I was warned that if you look into the abyss, then the abyss will look into you. I expected it to “arrive” earlier, so I take it calmly.”

Business Ombudsman Boris Titov (in the list):

“I was ordered jersey number 32. I am proud that I am the only presidential candidate in this election who has the honor of being on this list. None of the other presidential candidates ended up there.”

State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin (in the list):

“What kind of sanctions have been invented against our country since 2014. They did not lead either to a change in the political course of our country, or to a weakening of its sovereignty, or to internal disunity. New sanctions against Russia will lead to even greater consolidation of society.”

Children's Ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova (in the list):

“I believe that such an assessment of my activities as children’s ombudsman, even in this short period of time, indicates that we are on the right path towards our main goal - the happiness and well-being of Russian children.”

Head of the HRC Mikhail Fedotov (in the list):

“What could this mean for me? Don't know. Will my visa be denied? I have not it. Will the accounts be frozen? I do not have them. There is no real estate either. Maybe American diplomats will stop greeting me. Now they always say hello.”

Head of the Board of Directors of Gazprom Viktor Zubkov:

“They are already constantly pressing all the time. You see, there are negotiations with the Poles and the Balts. But it’s okay, we’ll endure it.”

Konstantin Kosachev, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council:

“The first acquaintance with the “American list”, transmitted yesterday by the Treasury Department to Congress, creates a strong feeling that the US intelligence services, despairing of finding the promised and, most importantly, provable dirt on Russian politicians, simply rewrote the Kremlin telephone directory.”

Vice Speaker of the State Duma Irina Yarovaya:

“Sanctions are a stranglehold on international business, including European business. Now the US is introducing a virus touch system, the purpose of which is not hidden - it is a system of deterring others and benefiting only one country. America is opening up economic Guantanamo to business around the world.”

Politician Alexei Navalny:

“That’s right. The biggest drawback of the list: where are Lebedev, Zorkin, the entire judicial mafia and Pamfilova. Forgot about them (or they are CIA agents).”

Atlantic Council expert Anders Aslund (participated in drafting possible criteria for the list):

“96 - all Russian billionaires have been gathered, a lot. Most likely, this will force them to rally around the Kremlin. It turns out to be counterproductive.”

Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul:

“I don't see the point in this list. I see no evidence that being on this list makes anyone more susceptible to sanctions in the future. But maybe I missed something... I personally know many of the businessmen on the list. Some of them are close to Putin, some are not. It is clear that little has been done to distinguish between these two categories.”

Editor-in-chief of radio “Echo of Moscow” Alexey Venediktov:

“The editors of Ekho Moskvy could have compiled this list in 20 minutes... This story is that these people were, as it were, driven into a room. The Americans said: “You just sit here. We will now shoot four from the secret list. If it’s not clear to you, we’ll shoot four more.” That is, we will add it to the sanctions list.”

Forbes chief editor of Russian Forbes Maxim Kashulinsky:

“When we made the first list in 2004 Forbes, could not even imagine how the US authorities would use it in 2018. However, those on the list could not imagine such a thing. Essentially, the meaning of today’s step is: “If you got rich under Putin, you will answer.”

Recall that the United States made a decision for the time being, it does not impose additional sanctions on Russia under the new law designed to punish Moscow for interfering in the 2016 presidential election, noting that the current restrictions also hurt Russian companies so painfully.

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