Russia announced on Tuesday that it has sanctioned a number of current and former U.S. officials in yet another salvo related to Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
What stands out among the list is not only who was on it, but also who was excluded, chief among those left off being Vice President Kamala Harris. Former President Donald Trump also failed to make the cut.
Included on the list are President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, White House press secretary Jen Psaki, and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Even Hunter Biden, who made a small fortune sitting on the board of a Ukraine gas company while his father served as vice president under Obama, made the cut.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the sanctions on Twitter: “In response to a series of unprecedented sanctions prohibiting, among other things, entry into the United States for top Russian officials, effective March 15 this year, the Russian ‘stop list’ includes @JoeBiden, @SecBlinken and a number of other American figures on the basis of reciprocity.”
Russia just sanctioned a bunch of US officials. They also included Hunter Biden and Hillary Clinton, among others pic.twitter.com/4znAzWCAKC
— Jordan Schachtel @ dossier.substack.com (@JordanSchachtel) March 15, 2022
The move is seen as a counter to severe financial sanctions imposed on Russia that could result in Moscow defaulting on its debts in the near future, according to experts. Putin and his inner circle were also targeted, freezing their assets and barring their entry into the U.S. and other countries.
Clinton, the architect of the 2009 reset of U.S.-Russia relations, responded to being included on the list in a tweet: “I want to thank the Russian Academy for this Lifetime Achievement Award.”
I want to thank the Russian Academy for this Lifetime Achievement Award. https://t.co/4og9S3OCEp
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 15, 2022
It’s difficult to forget the epic moment Clinton presented Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with a red reset button on a black base with the Russian word “peregruzka” emblazoned on top.
“We worked hard to get the right Russian word. Do you think we got it?” Clinton said, amid a room full of reporters, only to have Lavrov reply, “You got it wrong,” explaining that the word used meant “overcharge.”
The Russian list made for plenty of online commentary here’s a sampling of some of those responses from Twitter:
I don’t see Kamala on there pic.twitter.com/xwQvTbtplC
— (@DAONWASROBBED) March 15, 2022
They’ll let Kamala in. Idk if that’s an insult or a compliment though
— JayDub (@pdcjay) March 15, 2022
It also proves lots of depth in understanding our domestic politics, outside of the lens of our corporate press. https://t.co/eiQ7ZxsDUB
— Jordan Schachtel @ dossier.substack.com (@JordanSchachtel) March 15, 2022
As if any of the white house staff would go right now. I’m surprised that they didn’t sanction US news agencies too!
— KarenB (@karenkbauer) March 15, 2022
As scary as the Russian army might be, it pales in comparison to the carnage and body count of the Clinton/Obama/Biden brigade.
— Paisano™ (@Paisano) March 15, 2022
Putin may be ruthless, but when you see the people and organizations his beef is really with any thinking person should seriously ponder. These are evil people in their own right.
— RWedge (@tumdoor) March 15, 2022
Looks like a copy of what the Durhamn indictment should read.
— DrMikeHawke (@drmikehawke) March 15, 2022
— DWray (@d_wray) March 15, 2022
Can we do the same thing here? I’d love to sanction every one of those a-holes,
— Bob Johnston (@Lunatic__Fringe) March 15, 2022
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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