The Trump administration is imposing new sanctions on Russia for allegedly using a chemical weapon against an ex-spy in Britain.
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday (local time) the sanctions would punish Russia for the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
- UK Novichok suspects identified - reports
- 'High purity' Novichok used in Skripal poisoning - watchdog
- Russian media goes into overdrive denying involvement in poisoning
"Following the use of a 'Novichok' nerve agent in an attempt to assassinate UK citizen Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal, the United States, on August 6, 2018, determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (CBW Act) that the Government of the Russian Federation has used chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law or has used lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own nationals," said spokeswoman Heather Nauert.
"Following a 15-day Congressional notification period, these sanctions will take effect upon publication of a notice in the Federal Register, expected on or around August 22, 2018."
While the US has previously blamed Moscow for the attack, this is the first time the Trump administration has issued the formal determination that automatically triggers sanctions.
The first round of sanctions will limit exports and financing, while the second "could include downgrading diplomatic relations, suspending state airline Aeroflot's ability to fly to the US, and cutting off nearly all exports and imports", NBC News reports.
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