US President Joe Biden announced in a press conference on Tuesday that the US will place additional sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine on Monday, noting what he called the “bizarre assertions” made by Russian President Vladimir Putin as to the right his country had to occupy Ukraine.
Biden said that two large Russian financial institutions, the VEB (A Russian state development corporation) and the country’s military bank, would be targeted in this round of sanctions, which go much deeper than those he had announced yesterday, when the country’s forces first entered the Dombass region.
The sanctions will target Russia’s financial institutions, sovereign debt and elite families. “And if Russia goes further with this invasion, we stand prepared to go further as with sanctions,” Biden said.
Today, I announced the first tranche of sanctions in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. And if Russia goes further with this invasion, we stand prepared to take further steps as necessary. pic.twitter.com/8t87wyMq6q
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 23, 2022
Biden made mention of Russian saber-rattling on Tuesday which took the form of asserting that large regions that are currently part of Ukraine proper are also Russian territory when announcing these further sanctions.