The United States has punished six individuals and eight Russian entities for their attacks on Ukraine in the Kerch Strait

The United States, as well as the European Union and Canada, imposed Friday new sanctions on more than a dozen Russian officials and companies in response to "the continuation of the" aggression of the country in Ukraine ".

"Today's action is directed against individuals and entities who play a role in Russia's unjustified attacks. against Ukrainian warships in the Kerch Strait, the alleged annexation of Crimea and support for the illegitimate elections of the separatist government in eastern Ukraine, "says a statement from the US Department of finances.

"The United States and our transatlantic partners will not allow Russia's persistent aggression against Ukraine to go unnoticed," said the Treasury Secretary. Steven T. Mnuchin according to the statement.

The sanctions imposed by the United States affected six officials, six Russian defense companies and two Russian energy and construction companies operating in Crimea.. In addition to freezing all badets owned by designated individuals and entities, they also prohibit US citizens from dealing with them.

Four of the people affected by the measures are border guards or coastguards, known for their role in a naval clash on November 25, 2018, during which Russian ships fired on three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait, on the border of both countries.

The decision against the four officials was taken jointly with the EU and CanadaAccording to the State Department.

Twenty-four members of the Ukrainian crew were arrested in the naval incident.

"We call on Russia to return immediately to Ukraine the seized vessels and crew members arrested, and to keep the Kerch Strait and the Azov Sea open to ships in transit for Ukrainian ports", State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement.

"We also call on Russia to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial waters."

In addition, The United States imposed sanctions on two Ukrainian separatists – Aleksey Naydenko and Vladimir Vysotsky – involved in organizing the November elections in the separatist East, which according to Washington was a "joke".

The six defense companies were persecuted for their operations in Crimea annexed to Russia, where severalthey improperly appropriated the badets of the Ukrainian state to provide services to the Russian army. "

Among them, the Russian shipbuilding giant Zelenodolsk, the producer of hydroacoustic equipment Okeanpribor, a supplier of diesel engines for the Russian army, Zvezda and an electronic parts supplier for the army, Fiolent

(With information from AFP)