US slaps fresh sanctions on Russia

A senior Russian official has expressed what he called "disgust" over the announcement that the United States is imposing a fresh round of sanctions on Russia.

Seven senior officials in Moscow, and 17 separate companies are now subject to American restrictions, after President Obama accused the Russian leader Vladimir Putin of "failing to lift a finger" to resolve the standoff over Ukraine.

Our Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.

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With President Obama continuing his travels in Asia….there was no clarion moment at which the new sanctions were officially unveiled.

No Presidential address in the Rose Garden…no appearance by Secretary of State John Kerry who - only last Thursday - seemed barely able to control his anger over Russia's intransigence.

Just a series of e-mails to Washington reporters detailed the sanctions…and President Obama discussed them briefly during a wide-ranging news conference in the Philippinnes.

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The Republican poured scorn on the White House - a tepid, incremental response they said that amounts to a "slap on the wrist" for the Russians.

7 senior figures are on the sanctions list….including prominent Russian players like Igor Sechin, the head of the oil giant Rosneft.

Formerly a top adviser to Vladimir Putin, many Russia hands were surprised he hadn't been sanctioned already.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak is on the list.

So is Russian lawmaker Alexei Pushkov, a long-time Putin ally who first made his name as a TV anchor close to the Kremlin.

A series of companies in the oil and gas sector will now be subject to export bans, and the measures go after a variety of goods that the US says could contribute to Russia's military capabilities.

At the State Department, spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

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But privately, American officials conceded that lockstep with Europe will only take them so far.

There's still no agreement between Washington and the capitals of Britain, France, Germany and others to hit specific industries in Russia - so-called "sectoral" sanctions that President Obama says he's holding in reserve in case the Kremlin goes ahead and invades Eastern Ukraine.

The White House can only hope that the pressure western business is putting on western governments to limit sanctions against Russia….isn't as great as the pressure Russian businesses are now putting on Vladimir Putin to cool the rhetoric, and pull back the troops.

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