U.S. President Barack Obama announced new sanctions against some Russians on Monday in an attempt to stop President Vladimir Putin from fomenting the rebellion in eastern Ukraine, but held off from broad measures that would hit Russia's economy.
The new sanctions, to be outlined in detail later on Monday, will add more people and firms to a list announced last month of figures whose assets are frozen and who are denied visas to travel to the United States.
Some high tech exports will also be targeted, Obama said. But the measures do not yet include the wider sanctions, like curbs on the Russian financial and energy sectors, that would do the most serious damage to Russia's economy.
Obama said Washington and its allies were keeping the threat of such sectoral sanctions "in reserve" in case the situation should "escalate further". He conceded he did not know if the measures he has ordered so far will work.
U.S. officials have said the new list will include Putin's "cronies" in the hope of changing his behavior.
"The goal is not to go after Mr. Putin personally; the goal is to change his calculus, to encourage him to walk the walk, not just talk the talk" on diplomacy to resolve the crisis, Obama said in Manila during a trip to Asia. More pics after cut..
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