21 Mar 2014 10:32

Businessmen Timchenko and Rotenberg view U.S. sanctions as recognition of their services to Russia

MOSCOW. March 21 (Interfax) - Russian businessmen Gennady Timchenko and Arkady Rotenberg remain unruffled by their inclusion in the U.S. list of Russian citizens subject to asset freezes and travel bans.

"In response to this, both of them said that they saw these measures on the part of the U.S. as indirect recognition of their services to the Russian state," a source in their inner circle told Interfax.

The United States earlier announced asset freezes and travel bans against 20 individuals in Russia and one financial institution, the Rossiya bank. On March 17, Washington imposed such sanctions against the first seven Russian citizens and two leaders of Crimea.