US has expanded anti-Russian sanctions over Crimea: who is on the list

The US Treasury Department has entered the sanctions list of eight Russians and the Russian transport company Grand Service Express (GSE), according to Online American department. The United States has expanded restrictive measures after the European Union, which on the eve imposed sanctions for “undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,” writes Kommersant.

Фото: Depositphotos

The USA and the EU impose sanctions for any commercial activity in Crimea, the main negative consequence of sanctions for legal entities is the inability to work with companies from the USA and the EU, as well as to make settlements.

The GSE is engaged in long-distance rail transportation to Crimea, and at the end of January it began suburban transportation in the Crimea itself through its subsidiary Southern Suburban Passenger Company. GSE “Kommersant” stated that “the GSE transport company operates in the territory of the Russian Federation, so sanctions will not affect the company's activities.”

Passenger communication with Crimea via a railway bridge across the Kerch Strait opened on December 25, 2019. According to the information center "Crimean bridge", on January 20, 100 trains crossed about 85 thousand passengers. GSE has three trains to Crimea: St. Petersburg - Sevastopol (in the winter schedule it runs every other day), Moscow-Simferopol and Simferopol-Moscow (daily).

On the subject: 'Glaring disrespect': US condemned the launch of Russian trains in annexed Crimea

GSE was founded in 2002 and became the first Russian transport company to receive a license from the Ministry of Railways for the right to transport passengers by rail. The main specialization is transportation of increased comfort, including between Moscow and St. Petersburg. According to SPARK-Interfax, GSE's revenue in 2018 increased by almost 11%, to 877 million rubles. ($ 140,2 million), net profit increased almost 4,5 times, to 143 million rubles ($ 2,28 million). In May 2019, the founder and owner of GSE Mikhail Rabinovich sold the asset to Transklassservice (TKS), the largest private operator of long-distance passenger cars. The ultimate owners of the TCS are unknown.

Also included in the US sanctions list:

• member of the Federation Council from Sevastopol Ekaterina Altabaeva;
• Deputy Head of the Sevastopol City Electoral Commission Lidiya Basova;
• Chairman of the Sevastopol City Election Commission Sergey Danilenko;
• CEO of Grand Service Express Alexander Ganov;
• Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Crimea Yuri Gotsanyuk;
• Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Sevastopol Vladimir Nemtsev;
• Secretary of the Sevastopol City Election Commission Ekaterina Pyrkova;
• Acting Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev.

The list of the European Union includes all of the above, except for Alexander Ganov. In total, it includes 177 people. Sanctions include a ban on entry into the EU and asset freezing. The sanctions list appeared in 2014, its introduction was explained as a violation of the sovereignty of Ukraine.

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