Obama Announces Sanctions Targeting 7 Russian Officials After Pivotal Vote

President announces sanctions targeting 7 Russian officials following the Sunday referendum in Crimea, when 97 percent voted in favor of annexation by Russia. The White House move comes as European Union foreign ministers slapped travel bans and asset freezes on 21 people from Russia and Crimea, who are linked to the push to secede from Ukraine.

The sanctions are individual-specific, targeting and freezing assets and restricting travel of those who the sanctions claim have “contributed to the situation in Ukraine.” The targeting of wealthy oligarchs who support Putin will, no doubt, give the Russian President a headache. However, whether or not they are a step in a much tougher direction, which will have the potential to stop Vladimir Putin, is unclear.

The White House Fact Sheet list the individuals, which are as follows:

In response to the Russian government’s actions contributing to the crisis in Ukraine, this new E.O. lists seven Russian government officials who are being designated for sanctions.  These individuals are Vladislav Surkov, Sergey Glazyev, Leonid Slutsky, Andrei Klishas, Valentina Matviyenko, Dmitry Rogozin, and Yelena Mizulina.

Meanwhile, Britain joined the U.S. in rejecting the Crimea referendum to breakaway from the Ukraine and join Russia, denouncing it as a “mockery of proper democratic practice.” Arriving in Brussels for talks tomorrow with EU foreign ministers, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Russia must now face “economic and political consequences” for its violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Sunday, the White House also warned Putin that he faces international isolation that will hurt Russia’s economy. “You can expect sanctions designations in the coming days,” White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer told NBC’s Meet the Press.

And now we have some of those promises being kept, plain and simple.