Poroshenko thanks Washington for new sanctions against Russia

"Another 37 individuals and companies involved in the Russian aggression against Ukraine and Crimean occupation are under sanctions. I am genuinely grateful to American partners for this important step of solidarity with Ukraine," the president wrote on his Facebook page. Poroshenko also stressed the importance of sanctions against Russia: "Russia as an aggressor state should feel the price for any flagrant violation of international rule of law - the occupation of foreign territory, unleashing a hybrid war in the heart of Europe and the murder of thousands of innocent people." President of Ukraine expressed hope that the international partners, "first of all, the European Union," will extend sectoral sanctions against Russia and will strengthen them in the event of an escalation of the conflict. As reported, on Thursday, U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) supplemented the list of sectoral sanctions due to the conflict in Donbas against a number of individuals and companies. "Today's actions are part of ongoing efforts of OFAC to counter attempts to circumvent sanctions against Russia by means of the private sector in the implementation of the sanctions, as well as to promote a diplomatic solution for the conflict in Ukraine," the U.S. Department of the Treasury reported. According to the document, the extension of sanctions "demonstrates commitment of the U.S. Treasury Department to obligations on maintaining sanctions as long as Russia does not fully comply with its obligations under the Minsk agreements, including a comprehensive ceasefire, the withdrawal of all weapons and military personnel and Ukraine’s regain control over the territory within its internationally recognized borders." The names of 17 persons have been added to the list, including Eduard Basurin. The latter group includes some 20 companies, in particular: Giprostroimost, Mostotrest, Sovmortrans, Glavgosekspertiza Rossii, Koksokhimtrans, Sovfrakht and other companies.